WorldWideScience

Sample records for advanced pancreatic cancer

  1. Characterization of low active ghrelin ratio in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miura, Tomofumi; Mitsunaga, Shuichi; Ikeda, Masafumi; Ohno, Izumi; Takahashi, Hideaki; Suzuki, Hidetaka; Irisawa, Ai; Kuwata, Takeshi; Ochiai, Atsushi

    2018-05-18

    Acyl ghrelin is an orexigenic peptide. Active ghrelin ratio, the ratio of acyl ghrelin to total ghrelin, has an important role in physiological functions and gastrointestinal symptoms. However, low active ghrelin ratio-related characteristics, gastrointestinal symptoms, and chemotherapy-induced gastrointestinal toxicity in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer have not been previously evaluated. The goal of this study was to identify low active ghrelin ratio-related factors in treatment-naïve advanced pancreatic cancer patients. Patients with treatment-naïve advanced pancreatic cancer were eligible for inclusion in this study. Active ghrelin ratio and clinical parameters of patients were prospectively recorded. Factors correlated with low active ghrelin ratio and survival were analyzed. In total, 92 patients were analyzed. Low active ghrelin ratio-related factors were advanced age (P advanced pancreatic cancer.

  2. Natural Products as Adjunctive Treatment for Pancreatic Cancer: Recent Trends and Advancements

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Qingxi Yue

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is a type of common malignant tumors with high occurrence in the world. Most patients presented in clinic had pancreatic cancer at advanced stages. Furthermore, chemotherapy or radiotherapy had very limited success in treating pancreatic cancer. Complementary and alternative medicines, such as natural products/herbal medicines, represent exciting adjunctive therapies. In this review, we summarize the recent advances of using natural products/herbal medicines, such as Chinese herbal medicine, in combination with conventional chemotherapeutic agents to treat pancreatic cancer in preclinical and clinical trials.

  3. Definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kwak, Yoo Kang; Lee, Jong Hoon; Lee, Myung Ah; Chun, Hoo Geun; Kim, Dong Goo; You, Young Kyoung; Hong, Tae Ho; Jang, Hong Seok

    2014-01-01

    Survival outcome of locally advanced pancreatic cancer has been poor and little is known about prognostic factors of the disease, especially in locally advanced cases treated with concurrent chemoradiation. This study was to analyze overall survival and prognostic factors of patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Medical records of 34 patients diagnosed with unresectable pancreatic cancer and treated with definitive CCRT, from December 2003 to December 2012, were reviewed. Median prescribed radiation dose was 50.4 Gy (range, 41.4 to 55.8 Gy), once daily, five times per week, 1.8 to 3 Gy per fraction. With a mean follow-up of 10 months (range, 0 to 49 months), median overall survival was 9 months. The 1- and 2-year survival rates were 40% and 10%, respectively. Median and mean time to progression were 5 and 7 months, respectively. Prognostic parameters related to overall survival were post-CCRT CA19-9 (p = 0.02), the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) status (p < 0.01), and radiation dose (p = 0.04) according to univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, post-CCRT CA19-9 value below 180 U/mL and ECOG status 0 or 1 were statistically significant independent prognostic factors associated with improved overall survival (p < 0.01 and p = 0.02, respectively). Overall treatment results in locally advanced pancreatic cancer are relatively poor and few improvements have been accomplished in the past decades. Post-treatment CA19-9 below 180 U/mL and ECOG performance status 0 and 1 were significantly associated with an improved overall survival.

  4. Definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced pancreatic cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kwak, Yoo Kang; Lee, Jong Hoon; Lee, Myung Ah; Chun, Hoo Geun; Kim, Dong Goo; You, Young Kyoung; Hong, Tae Ho; Jang, Hong Seok [Seoul St. Mary' s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea College of Medicine, Seoul (Korea, Republic of)

    2014-06-15

    Survival outcome of locally advanced pancreatic cancer has been poor and little is known about prognostic factors of the disease, especially in locally advanced cases treated with concurrent chemoradiation. This study was to analyze overall survival and prognostic factors of patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Medical records of 34 patients diagnosed with unresectable pancreatic cancer and treated with definitive CCRT, from December 2003 to December 2012, were reviewed. Median prescribed radiation dose was 50.4 Gy (range, 41.4 to 55.8 Gy), once daily, five times per week, 1.8 to 3 Gy per fraction. With a mean follow-up of 10 months (range, 0 to 49 months), median overall survival was 9 months. The 1- and 2-year survival rates were 40% and 10%, respectively. Median and mean time to progression were 5 and 7 months, respectively. Prognostic parameters related to overall survival were post-CCRT CA19-9 (p = 0.02), the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) status (p < 0.01), and radiation dose (p = 0.04) according to univariate analysis. In multivariate analysis, post-CCRT CA19-9 value below 180 U/mL and ECOG status 0 or 1 were statistically significant independent prognostic factors associated with improved overall survival (p < 0.01 and p = 0.02, respectively). Overall treatment results in locally advanced pancreatic cancer are relatively poor and few improvements have been accomplished in the past decades. Post-treatment CA19-9 below 180 U/mL and ECOG performance status 0 and 1 were significantly associated with an improved overall survival.

  5. Therapy of pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takeda, Yutaka; Kitagawa, Toru; Nakamori, Shoji

    2009-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most difficult diseases to cure. Japan pancreas society guidelines for management of pancreatic cancer indicate therapeutic algorithm according to the clinical stage. For locally limited pancreatic cancer (cStage I, II, III in Japanese classification system), surgical resection is recommended, however prognosis is still poor. Major randomized controlled trials of resected pancreatic cancer indicates that adjuvant chemotherapy is superior to observation and gemcitabine is superior to 5-fluorouracil (FU). For locally advanced resectable pancreatic cancer (cStage IVa in Japanese classification system (JCS)), we perform neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy. Phase I study established a recommended dose of 800 mg gemcitabine and radiation dose of 36 Gy. For locally advanced nonresectable pancreatic cancer (cStage IVa in JCS), chemoradiotherapy followed by chemotherapy is recommended. Although pancreatic cancer is chemotherapy resistant tumor, systemic chemotherapy is recommended for metastatic pancreatic cancer (cStage IVb in JCS). Single-agent gemcitabine is the standard first line agent for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer. Meta-analysis of chemotherapy showed possibility of survival benefit of gemcitabine combination chemotherapy over gemcitabine alone. We hope gemcitabine combination chemotherapy or molecular targeted therapy will improve prognosis of pancreatic cancer in the future. (author)

  6. Treatment of Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: The Role of Radiation Therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Johung, Kimberly; Saif, Muhammad Wasif; Chang, Bryan W.

    2012-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer remains associated with an extremely poor prognosis. Surgical resection can be curative, but the majority of patients present with locally advanced or metastatic disease. Treatment for patients with locally advanced disease is controversial. Therapeutic options include systemic therapy alone, concurrent chemoradiation, or induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiation. We review the evidence to date regarding the treatment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC), as well as evolving strategies including the emerging role of targeted therapies. We propose that if radiation is used for patients with LAPC, it should be delivered with concurrent chemotherapy and following a period of induction chemotherapy.

  7. Investigation of treatment strategy for advanced cancer according to treatment of pancreatic cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    XU Kecheng

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available The majority of pancreatic cancer diagnoses are made at the advanced stage and when metastasis has already occurred, and the 1- and 5-year survival rates are extremely low. Cemcitabine remains the most frequently applied treatment option, yet the most effective chemotherapeutic agents and combinations with multiple agents and/or radiotherapy only marginally improve patient survival and may even establish an environment conducive to cancer cells with stem cell-like characteristics. An alternative treatment modality, cryoablation, is available and has been applied at our institute to patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer since 2001. In this article, we present our collective experience with patient outcome using cryoablation, alone or combined with other treatment modalities such as brachytherapy (125iodine seed implantation. The overall outcomes have been encouraging, suggesting that comprehensive therapy including cryoablation may prolong the survival of patients with advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer, and we are achieving particular success with a novel combination of percutaneous cryoablation, cancer microvascular intervention with 125iodine seed implantation, and combined immunotherapy (3C applied using an individualized patient strategy (P. The 1- through 10-year survival rates of 145 patients treated with the so-called “3C+P model” are presented in support of this new strategy as a promising new treatment for advanced and metastatic cancer

  8. Recent Advances in Pancreatic Cancer Surgery of Relevance to the Practicing Pathologist

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Rijssen, Lennart B.; Rombouts, Steffi J. E.; Walma, Marieke S.; Vogel, Jantien A.; Tol, Johanna A.; Molenaar, Isaac Q.; van Eijck, Casper H. J.; Verheij, Joanne; van de Vijver, Marc J.; Busch, Olivier R. C.; Besselink, Marc G. H.

    2016-01-01

    Recent advances in pancreatic surgery have the potential to improve outcomes for patients with pancreatic cancer. We address 3 new, trending topics in pancreatic surgery that are of relevance to the pathologist. First, increasing awareness of the prognostic impact of intraoperatively detected

  9. Fast neutron irradiation for locally advanced pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Smith, F.P.; Schein, P.S.; MacDonald, J.S.; Woolley, P.V.; Ornitz, R.; Rogers, C.

    1981-01-01

    Nineteen patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer and one patient with islet cell cancer were treated with 1700-1500 neutron rad alone or in combination with 5-fluorouracil to exploit the theoretic advantages of higher linear energy of transfer, and lower oxygen enhancement ratio of neutrons. Only 5 of 14 (36%) obtained partial tumor regression. The median survival for all patients with pancreatic cancer was 6 months, which is less than that reported with 5-fluorouracil and conventional photon irradiation. Gastrointestinal toxicity was considerable; hemorhagic gastritis in five patients, colitis in two and esophagitis in one. One patient developed radiation myelitis. We therefore, caution any enthusiasm for this modality of therapy until clear evidence of a therapeutic advantage over photon therapy is demonstrated in controlled clinical trials

  10. Fast neutron irradiation for locally advanced pancreatic cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Smith, F.P. (Georgetown Univ. Medical Center, Washington, DC); Schein, P.S.; MacDonald, J.S.; Woolley, P.V.; Ornitz, R.; Rogers, C.

    1981-11-01

    Nineteen patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer and one patient with islet cell cancer were treated with 1700-1500 neutron rad alone or in combination with 5-fluorouracil to exploit the theoretic advantages of higher linear energy of transfer, and lower oxygen enhancement ratio of neutrons. Only 5 of 14 (36%) obtained partial tumor regression. The median survival for all patients with pancreatic cancer was 6 months, which is less than that reported with 5-fluorouracil and conventional photon irradiation. Gastrointestinal toxicity was considerable; hemorhagic gastritis in five patients, colitis in two and esophagitis in one. One patient developed radiation myelitis. We therefore, caution any enthusiasm for this modality of therapy until clear evidence of a therapeutic advantage over photon therapy is demonstrated in controlled clinical trials.

  11. Systemic therapy of pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andrezalova Vochyanova, I.; Salek, T.

    2012-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is the fourth comment cause of cancer-related death in men. Most patients with pancreatic cancer are diagnosed at advanced, non-resectable stage. Late detection, early metastases, difficult surgical approached, cancer resistant to systemic chemo and radiotherapy - all contribute to its in faust prognosis. Only about 5 % of patients will live 5 years after diagnosis. Gemcitabine - based combination treatments is the standard for advanced pancreatic cancer. The combination of fluorouracil, folinic acid, irinotecan and oxaliplatin led to median survival of 11 months. No standard second-line treatment exists for pancreatic cancer. (author)

  12. Therapeutic effect of transcatheter arterial infusion chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lin Junhua; Song Mingzhi; Zhang Yuanyuan; Xu Yiyu; Chen Jing

    2001-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the clinical efficacy of transcatheter arterial infusion (TAI) or transcatheter arterial chemo-embolization (TACE) in the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer. Methods: 36 cases of advanced pancreatic cancer were divided into two groups, 18 cases were treated with TAI or TACE (group A), other 18 cases were treated with systemic chemotherapy (group B). Results: The clinical benefit response rate of the group A was 55.6% (10/18) and that of the group B was 16.7%(3/18), respectively (P 0.05). Conclusions: In the transcatheter arterial infusion group, no survival advantage could be demonstrated when compared with the controls, but TAI could effectively increase clinical benefit response and improve the quality of life of advanced pancreatic cancer

  13. Impact of different treatment methods on survival in advanced pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brasiuniene, B.; Juozaityte, E.; Barauskas, G.

    2005-01-01

    The aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of different treatment methods on survival of patients treated for advanced pancreatic cancer at Kaunas University of Medicine Hospital from 1987 to 2003. Data on 262 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer treated from 1987 to 2003 were analyzed retrospectively. Four groups of patients were analyzed. One hundred eighty patients underwent palliative bypass or endoscopic bile duct stenting or observation alone. Forty three patients in addition to surgery were treated by radiotherapy. Twenty five patients received gemcitabine in standard doses and schedules. Fourteen patients received concomitant chemoradiotherapy (with gemcitabine or 5-fluorouracil). All patients were grouped by treatment method and median survival was analyzed. Median survival of patients treated by palliative surgery only or observation alone was 1.9 month, and for patients treated by palliative surgery and radiotherapy was 6.1 months (p=0.00007). Median survival of patients treated with gemcitabine was 9.5 months (p<0.001), and median survival of patients treated with concomitant chemoradiotherapy was 8.5 months (p=0.00003). Patients diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer in addition to surgical treatment should be treated by chemotherapy, concomitant chemoradiotherapy or radiotherapy. (author)

  14. Contemporary Management of Borderline Resectable and Locally Advanced Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shaib, Walid L; Ip, Andrew; Cardona, Kenneth; Alese, Olatunji B; Maithel, Shishir K; Kooby, David; Landry, Jerome; El-Rayes, Bassel F

    2016-02-01

    Adenocarcinoma of the pancreas remains a highly lethal disease, with less than 5% survival at 5 years. Borderline resectable pancreatic cancer (BRPC) and locally advanced unresectable pancreatic cancer (LAPC) account for approximately 30% of newly diagnosed cases of PC. The objective of BRPC therapy is to downstage the tumor to allow resection; the objective of LAPC therapy is to control disease and improve survival. There is no consensus on the definitions of BRPC and LAPC, which leads to major limitations in designing clinical trials and evaluating their results. A multimodality approach is always needed to ensure proper utilization and timing of chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery in the management of this disease. Combination chemotherapy regimens (5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan, oxaliplatin, and gemcitabine [FOLFIRINOX] and gemcitabine/nab-paclitaxel) have improved overall survival in metastatic disease. The role of combination chemotherapy regimens in BRPC and LAPC is an area of active investigation. There is no consensus on the dose, modality, and role of radiation therapy in the treatment of BRPC and LAPC. This article reviews the literature and highlights the areas of controversy regarding management of BRPC and LAPC. Pancreatic cancer is one of the worst cancers with regard to survival, even at early stages of the disease. This review evaluates all the evidence for the stages in which the cancer is not primarily resectable with surgery, known as borderline resectable or locally advanced unresectable. Recently, advancements in radiation techniques and use of better combination chemotherapies have improved survival and tolerance. There is no consensus on description of stages or treatment sequences (chemotherapy, chemoradiation, radiation), nor on the best chemotherapy regimen. The evidence behind the treatment paradigm for these stages of pancreatic cancer is summarized. ©AlphaMed Press.

  15. Management of advanced pancreatic cancer in daily clinical practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Giuliani, Jacopo; Piacentini, Paolo; Bonetti, Andrea

    2016-01-01

    The aim of this outcome study was to evaluate the management of advanced pancreatic cancer in a real-world clinical practice; few such experiences have been reported in the literature. A retrospective analysis was performed of all consecutive patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma followed at our medical oncology unit between January 2003 and December 2013. We evaluated 78 patients, mostly with metastatic disease (64.1%). Median follow-up was 10.77 months, by which time 74 patients (94.9%) had died. Median overall survival was 8.29 months. Median age was 67 years. In univariate analysis, pain at onset (p = 0.020), ECOG performance status (p<0.001), stage (p = 0.047), first-line chemotherapy (p<0.001), second-line chemotherapy (p<0.001) and weight loss at diagnosis (p = 0.029) were factors that had an impact on overall survival. In multivariate analysis, the presence of pain at onset (p = 0.043), stage (p = 0.003) and second-line chemotherapy (p = 0.004) were confirmed as independent prognostic factors. Our data, derived from daily clinical practice, confirmed advanced pancreatic cancer as an aggressive malignant disease with a very short expected survival. Second-line treatment seems to provide an advantage in terms of overall survival in patients who showed a partial response as their best response to first-line treatment.

  16. High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Treatment for Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yufeng Zhou

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is under high mortality but has few effective treatment modalities. High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU is becoming an emerging approach of noninvasively ablating solid tumor in clinics. A variety of solid tumors have been tried on thousands of patients in the last fifteen years with great success. The principle, mechanism, and clinical outcome of HIFU were introduced first. All 3022 clinical cases of HIFU treatment for the advanced pancreatic cancer alone or in combination with chemotherapy or radiotherapy in 241 published papers were reviewed and summarized for its efficacy, pain relief, clinical benefit rate, survival, Karnofsky performance scale (KPS score, changes in tumor size, occurrence of echogenicity, serum level, diagnostic assessment of outcome, and associated complications. Immune response induced by HIFU ablation may become an effective way of cancer treatment. Comments for a better outcome and current challenges of HIFU technology are also covered.

  17. Prevention of pancreatic cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stefan Kuroczycki-Saniutycz

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA accounts for 95% of all pancreatic cancers. About 230,000 PDA cases are diagnosed worldwide each year. PDA has the lowest five-year survival rate as compared to others cancers. PDA in Poland is the fifth leading cause of death after lung, stomach, colon and breast cancer. In our paper we have analysed the newest epidemiological research, some of it controversial, to establish the best practical solution for pancreatic cancer prevention in the healthy population as well as treatment for patients already diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. We found that PDA occurs quite frequently but is usually diagnosed too late, at its advanced stage. Screening for PDA is not very well defined except in subgroups of high-risk individuals with genetic disorders or with chronic pancreatitis. We present convincing, probable, and suggestive risk factors associated with pancreatic cancer, many of which are modifiable and should be introduced and implemented in our society.

  18. Recent Progress in Pancreatic Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wolfgang, Christopher L.; Herman, Joseph M.; Laheru, Daniel A.; Klein, Alison P.; Erdek, Michael A.; Fishman, Elliot K.; Hruban, Ralph H.

    2013-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is currently one of the deadliest of the solid malignancies. However, surgery to resect neoplasms of the pancreas is safer and less invasive than ever, novel drug combinations have been shown to improve survival, advances in radiation therapy have resulted in less toxicity, and enormous strides have been made in our understanding of the fundamental genetics of pancreatic cancer. These advances provide hope but they also increase the complexity of caring for patients. It is clear that multidisciplinary care that provides comprehensive and coordinated evaluation and treatment is the most effective way to manage patients with pancreatic cancer. PMID:23856911

  19. The first report from Sapporo Tsukisamu Hospital. Chemotherapy and Chemoradiotherapy for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamamitsu, Susumu; Kimura, Hiromichi; Yamada, Yoshiyuki; Inui, Noriaki; Hiyama, Shigemi; Hirata, Koichi; Kimura, Yasutoshi; Koito, Kazumitsu; Shirasaka, Tetsuhiko

    2007-01-01

    The remedy, especially chemotherapy, for advanced pancreatic cancer is hardly ever successful in terms of efficacy rate and survival period, because it is virtually unable to contribute to the improvement of median survival time (MST). Thus, we devised a new intermittent dosage regimen utilizing the cell cycle difference of normal gastrointestinal (GI) tract, bone marrow cell and pancreatic cancer cell, making use of 5-FU (→S-1), cisplatin (CDDP) and paclitaxel in March 2002. Ten patients with advanced pancreatic cancer (4 in Stage IVa and 6 in Stage IVb) were treated with this new regimen. As a result, an efficacy ratio of 50.0% and a 1-year survival ratio of 60.0% were achieved. However, 2-year survival ratio of 12.0% was low, and there was no 3-year survivor. The MST was 19 months as of December 31, 2006. All of the non-hematological toxicities were under grade 2. Eight patients had hematological toxicities over grade 3 and most of them were anemia and neutropenia. Only 2 cases had thrombocytopenia. Although adverse effects related to this regimen were clinically manageable, it was difficult to improve MST of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer with chemotherapy alone including this regimen. Hence, we devised another regimen with the joint use of radiotherapy along with the same chemotherapy regimen in January 2003. Twenty patients with advanced pancreatic cancer (Stage IV) were treated with this regimen. It is presently under way, and an efficacy ratio of 35.0%, 1-year survival ratio of 86.3% and 2-year survival ratio of 64.0% were obtained by May 2005, showing that this may contribute to the extension of survival time of Stage IV pancreatic cancer patients. (author)

  20. Poxvirus-based vaccine therapy for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Seo Kang

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Purpose An open-label Phase 1 study of recombinant prime-boost poxviruses targeting CEA and MUC-1 in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer was conducted to determine safety, tolerability and obtain preliminary data on immune response and survival. Patients and methods Ten patients with advanced pancreatic cancer were treated on a Phase I clinical trial. The vaccination regimen consisted of vaccinia virus expressing tumor antigens carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA and mucin-1 (MUC-1 with three costimulatory molecules B7.1, ICAM-1 and LFA-3 (TRICOM (PANVAC-V and fowlpox virus expressing the same antigens and costimulatory molecules (PANVAC-F. Patients were primed with PANVAC-V followed by three booster vaccinations using PANVAC-F. Granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF was used as a local adjuvant after each vaccination and for 3 consecutive days thereafter. Monthly booster vaccinations for up to 12 months were provided for patients without progressive disease. Peripheral blood was collected before, during and after vaccinations for immune analysis. Results The most common treatment-related adverse events were mild injection-site reactions. Antibody responses against vaccinia virus was observed in all 10 patients and antigen-specific T cell responses were observed in 5 out of 8 evaluable patients (62.5%. Median overall survival was 6.3 months and a significant increase in overall survival was noted in patients who generated anti CEA- and/or MUC-1-specific immune responses compared with those who did not (15.1 vs 3.9 months, respectively; P = .002. Conclusion Poxvirus vaccination is safe, well tolerated, and capable of generating antigen-specific immune responses in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

  1. L-Carnitine-supplementation in advanced pancreatic cancer (CARPAN - a randomized multicentre trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kraft Matthias

    2012-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Cachexia, a >10% loss of body-weight, is one factor determining the poor prognosis of pancreatic cancer. Deficiency of L-Carnitine has been proposed to cause cancer cachexia. Findings We screened 152 and enrolled 72 patients suffering from advanced pancreatic cancer in a prospective, multi-centre, placebo-controlled, randomized and double-blinded trial to receive oral L-Carnitine (4 g or placebo for 12 weeks. At entry patients reported a mean weight loss of 12 ± 2,5 (SEM kg. During treatment body-mass-index increased by 3,4 ± 1,4% under L-Carnitine and decreased (−1,5 ± 1,4% in controls (p  Conclusion While these data are preliminary and need confirmation they indicate that patients with pancreatic cancer may have a clinically relevant benefit from the inexpensive and well tolerated oral supplementation of L-Carnitine.

  2. Emerging treatments for advanced pancreatic cancer: clinical potential of albumin-bound paclitaxel

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fontana E

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Elisa Fontana, Francesco Sclafani, David Cunningham Department of Medicine, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London and Surrey, UK Abstract: The management of pancreatic cancer has historically represented a major challenge for oncologists. The inherent aggressiveness of this tumor and the fibrotic features of the surrounding stromal tissue have significantly limited the impact of standard chemotherapy. Moreover, the paucity of available tumor tissue has hampered a better understanding of the biology of this disease as well as the development of new treatment strategies. Recently, the therapeutic landscape of metastatic pancreatic cancer has been enriched by two new combination regimens (FOLFIRINOX and gemcitabine-nab-paclitaxel which have been demonstrated to improve the outcome in patients with good performance status. Moreover, the peritumoral stroma has been increasingly recognized as a potential therapeutic target for this disease, and several new agents targeting stromal components are currently under investigation. In this paper, we review the current treatment options for advanced pancreatic cancer, highlight the role of the peritumoral stroma, and discuss the clinical potential of nab-paclitaxel and antistromal treatment strategies. Keywords: pancreatic cancer, nab-paclitaxel, stroma, SPARC

  3. The effects of curcumin (diferuloylmethane) on body composition of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Parsons, Henrique A; Baracos, Vickie E; Hong, David S; Abbruzzese, James; Bruera, Eduardo; Kurzrock, Razelle

    2016-04-12

    Curcumin is a natural product that is often explored by patients with cancer. Weight loss due to fat and muscle depletion is a hallmark of pancreatic cancer and is associated with worse outcomes. Studies of curcumin's effects on muscularity show conflicting results in animal models. Retrospective matched 1:2 case-control study to evaluate the effects of curcumin on body composition (determined by computerized tomography) of 66 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer (22 treated,44 controls). Average age (SEM) was 63(1.8) years, 30/66(45%) women, median number of prior therapies was 2, median (IQR) time from advanced pancreatic cancer diagnosis to baseline image was 7(2-13.5) months (p>0.2, all variables). All patients lost weight (3.3% and 1.3%, treated vs. control, p=0.13). Treated patients lost more muscle (median [IQR] percent change -4.8[-9.1,-0.1] vs. -0.05%[-4.2, 2.6] in controls,pcancer treated with curcumin showed significantly greater loss of subcutaneous fat and muscle than matched untreated controls.

  4. Evaluation of multimodality treatment for advanced pancreatic cancer. Special reference to intraoperative vs. external radiation therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wakasugi, Hideyuki; Funakoshi, Akihiro; Seo, Yousuke; Iguchi, Haruo; Wada, Susumu

    1999-01-01

    Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT)+postoperative external beam radiation therapy (ERT) with chemotherapy and ERT alone with chemotherapy have been performed in our hospital for unresectable, especially locally advanced, pancreatic cancer. We compared the former method with the latter. Chemotherapy was performed together with radiation, using 5-FU, CDDP, and MMC. IORT+ERT was successful in only half of the treated patients, while ERT alone was successful in almost all of the patients. As a result, the doses of radiation were often shorter in patients treated by the former method compared to the latter method. Both methods, when completed for locally advanced pancreatic cancer (stage IVa), produced good effects on tumor markers, tumor size and pain. Furthermore, the latter method was better than the former in improving the survival time and quality of life (QOL). Therefore, ERT is a practical and useful method for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. (author)

  5. Diagnostic Management of Pancreatic Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dabizzi, Emanuele [Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic Florida, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32224 (United States); Assef, Mauricio Saab [Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo, Rua Dr. Cesário Motta Jr. #61 Cep: 01221-020, São Paulo (Brazil); Raimondo, Massimo, E-mail: raimondo.massimo@mayo.edu [Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Mayo Clinic Florida, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32224 (United States)

    2011-01-31

    Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly solid tumors, with an overall 5-year survival rate of less than 5%. Due to a non-specific clinical presentation, it is often diagnosed at an advanced stage and is rarely amenable for curative treatment. Therefore early diagnosis and appropriate staging are still essential to define the best care and to improve patient survival. Several imaging modalities are currently available for the evaluation of pancreatic cancer. This review focuses on different techniques and discusses the diagnostic management of patients with pancreatic cancer. This review was conducted utilizing Pubmed and was limited to papers published within the last 5 years. The search key words pancreatic cancer, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, pancreatic tumors, diagnosis, radiology, imaging, nuclear imaging, endoscopy, endoscopic ultrasound and biochemical markers were used.

  6. Diagnostic Management of Pancreatic Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dabizzi, Emanuele; Assef, Mauricio Saab; Raimondo, Massimo

    2011-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly solid tumors, with an overall 5-year survival rate of less than 5%. Due to a non-specific clinical presentation, it is often diagnosed at an advanced stage and is rarely amenable for curative treatment. Therefore early diagnosis and appropriate staging are still essential to define the best care and to improve patient survival. Several imaging modalities are currently available for the evaluation of pancreatic cancer. This review focuses on different techniques and discusses the diagnostic management of patients with pancreatic cancer. This review was conducted utilizing Pubmed and was limited to papers published within the last 5 years. The search key words pancreatic cancer, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, pancreatic tumors, diagnosis, radiology, imaging, nuclear imaging, endoscopy, endoscopic ultrasound and biochemical markers were used

  7. Diabetes, pancreatic cancer, and metformin therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jun eGong

    2014-11-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer carries a poor prognosis as most patients present with advanced disease and preferred chemotherapy regimens offer only modest effects on survival. Risk factors include smoking, obesity, heavy alcohol, and chronic pancreatitis. Pancreatic cancer has a complex relationship with diabetes, as diabetes can be both a risk factor for pancreatic cancer and a result of pancreatic cancer. Insulin, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1, and certain hormones play an important role in promoting neoplasia in diabetics. Metformin appears to reduce risk for pancreatic cancer and improve survival in diabetics with pancreatic cancer primarily by decreasing insulin/IGF signaling, disrupting mitochondrial respiration, and inhibiting the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR pathway. Other potential anti-tumorigenic effects of metformin include the ability to downregulate specificity protein transcription factors and associated genes, alter microRNAs, decrease cancer stem cell proliferation, and reduce DNA damage and inflammation. Here, we review the most recent knowledge on risk factors and treatment of pancreatic cancer and the relationship between diabetes, pancreatic cancer, and metformin as a potential therapy.

  8. Computed tomography findings after radiofrequency ablation in locally advanced pancreatic cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rombouts, Steffi J. E.; Derksen, Tyche C.; Nio, Chung Y.; van Hillegersberg, Richard; van Santvoort, Hjalmar C.; Walma, Marieke S.; Molenaar, Izaak Q.; van Leeuwen, Maarten S.

    2018-01-01

    The purpose of the study was to provide a systematic evaluation of the computed tomography(CT) findings after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in locally advanced pancreatic cancer(LAPC). Eighteen patients with intra-operative RFA-treated LAPC were included in a prospective case series. All CT-scans

  9. Opioid growth factor improves clinical benefit and survival in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jill P Smith

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Jill P Smith1, Sandra I Bingaman1, David T Mauger2, Harold H Harvey1, Laurence M Demers3, Ian S Zagon41Departments of Medicine, 2Public Health Sciences, 3Pathology, and 4Neurosciences and Anatomy, Pennsylvania State University, College of Medicine, Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, USABackground: Advanced pancreatic cancer carries the poorest prognosis of all gastrointestinal malignancies. Once the tumor has spread beyond the margins of the pancreas, chemotherapy is the major treatment modality offered to patients; however, chemotherapy does not significantly improve survival.Objective: Opioid growth factor (OGF; [Met5]-enkephalin is a natural peptide that has been shown to inhibit growth of pancreatic cancer in cell culture and in nude mice. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of OGF biotherapy on subjects with advanced pancreatic cancer who failed chemotherapy.Methods: In a prospective phase II open-labeled clinical trial, 24 subjects who failed standard chemotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer were treated weekly with OGF 250 μg/kg intravenously. Outcomes measured included clinical benefit, tumor response by radiographic imaging, quality of life, and survival.Results: Clinical benefit response was experienced by 53% of OGF-treated patients compared to historical controls of 23.8% and 4.8% for gemcitabine and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU, respectively. Of the subjects surviving more than eight weeks, 62% showed either a decrease or stabilization in tumor size by computed tomography. The median survival time for OGF-treated patients was three times that of untreated patients (65.5 versus 21 days, p < 0.001. No adverse effects on hematologic or chemistry parameters were noted, and quality of life surveys suggested improvement with OGF. Limitations: Measurements other than survival were not allowed in control patients, and clinical benefit comparisons were made to historical controls.Conclusion: OGF biotherapy improves the

  10. Incidence of and risk factors for developing pancreatic cancer in patients with chronic pancreatitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kudo, Yujin; Kamisawa, Terumi; Anjiki, Hajime; Takuma, Kensuke; Egawa, Naoto

    2011-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer sometimes occurs during the course of chronic pancreatitis. This study aimed to identify risk factors for developing pancreatic cancer associated with chronic pancreatitis. The incidence of pancreatic cancer developing in 218 patients with chronic pancreatitis and clinical features of the chronic pancreatitis patients who developed pancreatic cancer were studied. Nine patients developed pancreatic cancer. Average period from the diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer was 9.6 years. All pancreatic cancers were diagnosed at an advanced stage. Only 2 patients had been followed-up periodically. There were no significant differences between chronic pancreatitis patients who developed pancreatic cancer and those who did not in male/female ratio (3.5 vs. 8), average age on diagnosis (65.0 vs. 56.5), alcoholic/non-alcoholic chronic pancreatitis (1.6 vs. 2.6), smoking habits (62.5% vs. 70.7%), diabetes mellitus (77.8% vs. 54.4%), and continued alcohol drinking (37.5% vs. 53.1%). Over the period examined, 4% of chronic pancreatitis patients developed pancreatic cancer. Sex ratio, onset age, etiology, smoking habits, diabetes mellitus, and continued alcohol drinking were not significant risk factors for developing pancreatic cancer in chronic pancreatitis patients. Periodic follow-up due to the possibility of pancreatic cancer is necessary in chronic pancreatitis patients.

  11. New insights into pancreatic cancer biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hidalgo, M

    2012-09-01

    Pancreatic cancer remains a devastating disease. Over the last few years, there have been important advances in the molecular and biological understanding of pancreatic cancer. This included understanding of the genomic complexity of the disease, the role of pancreatic cancer stem cells, the relevance of the tumor microenvironment, and the unique metabolic adaptation of pancreas cancer cells to obtain nutrients under hypoxic environment. In this paper, we review the most salient developments in these few areas.

  12. Management of advanced pancreatic cancer with gemcitabine plus erlotinib: efficacy and safety results in clinical practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Diaz Beveridge, Robert; Alcolea, Vicent; Aparicio, Jorge; Segura, Ángel; García, Jose; Corbellas, Miguel; Fonfría, María; Giménez, Alejandra; Montalar, Joaquin

    2014-01-10

    The combination of gemcitabine and erlotinib is a standard first-line treatment for unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer. We reviewed our single centre experience to assess its efficacy and toxicity in clinical practice. Clinical records of patients with unresectable, locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer who were treated with the combination of gemcitabine and erlotinib were reviewed. Univariate survival analysis and multivariate analysis were carried out to indentify independent predictors factors of overall survival. Our series included 55 patients. Overall disease control rate was 47%: 5% of patients presented complete response, 20% partial response and 22% stable disease. Median overall survival was 8.3 months). Cox regression analysis indicated that performance status and locally advanced versus metastatic disease were independent factors of overall survival. Patients who developed acne-like rash toxicity, related to erlotinib administration, presented a higher survival than those patients who did not develop this toxicity. Gemcitabine plus erlotinib doublet is active in our series of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. This study provides efficacy and safety results similar to those of the pivotal phase III clinical trial that tested the same combination.

  13. Out-FOXing Pancreatic Cancer | Center for Cancer Research

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal cancer types worldwide with increasing incidence and mortality rates in the United States. Consequently, it is projected to become the second leading cause of cancer death by 2020. Poor patient outcomes are due to a combination of diagnosis at an advanced stage and a lack of effective treatments. However, a better understanding of the molecular pathways at work in pancreatic cancers may lead to the identification of novel therapeutic targets.

  14. Clinical impact of radiotherapy for locally advanced pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sawaki, Akira; Hoki, Noriyuki; Ito, Satoko

    2009-01-01

    Although a randomized controlled trial for locally advanced pancreatic cancer (PC) has demonstrated a survival advantage for treatment with gemcitabine alone, chemoradiotherapy remains the treatment of choice for locally advanced disease in Japan. The aim of this study was to compare the survival benefits associated with gemcitabine and concurrent chemoradiotherapy in locally advanced unresectable PC. Seventy-seven patients with locally advanced unresectable PC were retrospectively enrolled from April 2001 to December 2006. All cases were histologically proven, and patients received gemcitabine chemotherapy (n=30) or concurrent chemoradiotherapy (based on 5-fluorouracil, n=28, or gemcitabine, n=19, as a radiosensitizer) at Aichi Cancer Center Hospital. Patients who received chemoradiotherapy had significantly better performance status than those who had chemotherapy. Tumor response was 0% for chemotherapy and 13% chemoradiotherapy, but survival benefit was similar among patients in the chemotherapy group (overall response (OS) 12 months; progression-free survival (PFS), 3 months) and those in the chemoradiotherapy group (OS, 13 months; PFS, 5 months). Two-year survival was 21% for chemotherapy patients and 19% for chemoradiotherapy patients. Severe toxicities (Grade 3-4 National Cancer Institute-Common Toxicity Criteria, version 3.0) were significantly more frequent for chemoradiotherapy than for chemotherapy. Gemcitabine chemotherapy showed similar survival benefit compared to 5-fluorouracil- and gemcitabine-based chemoradiotherapy. (author)

  15. A phase I study of imexon plus gemcitabine as first-line therapy for advanced pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cohen, Steven J; Zalupski, Mark M; Modiano, Manuel R; Conkling, Paul; Patt, Yehuda Z; Davis, Peg; Dorr, Robert T; Boytim, Michelle L; Hersh, Evan M

    2010-07-01

    Imexon is an aziridine-derived iminopyrrolidone which has synergy with gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer cell lines. Gemcitabine is a standard therapy for pancreatic cancer. We performed a phase I trial of imexon and gemcitabine to evaluate safety, dose-limiting toxicity (DLT), and maximum tolerated dose (MTD) in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Patients with untreated locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma received therapy in sequential cohorts on regimen A (n = 19; imexon 200 or 280 mg/m(2) intravenously (IV) over 30 min days 1-5, 15-19 and gemcitabine 800 or 1,000 mg/m(2) IV over 30 min on days 1,8,15 every 28 days) or regimen B (n = 86; imexon 280-1,300 mg/m(2) IV over 30-60 min days 1, 8, and 15 and gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m(2) IV over 30 min on days 1, 8, and 15 every 28 days). One hundred five patients received 340 treatment cycles (median 2, range 1-16). median age 63, 61% male, ECOG PS 0/1 50%/50%, 93% metastatic. DLT was abdominal cramping and pain, often with transient, acute diarrhea. Best response was confirmed partial response (PR) in 11.4%, 8.9% unconfirmed PR, and 48.1% with stable disease. There was a dose proportional increase in imexon AUC across the doses tested with terminal half life 69 min at the MTD and no alteration of gemcitabine pharmacokinetics. The recommended phase II dose of imexon is 875 mg/m(2) with gemcitabine 1,000 mg/m(2). DLT was acute abdominal pain and cramping. Encouraging antitumor responses support further evaluation of this combination in advanced pancreatic cancer.

  16. Cost-effectiveness of modern radiotherapy techniques in locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Murphy, James D; Chang, Daniel T; Abelson, Jon; Daly, Megan E; Yeung, Heidi N; Nelson, Lorene M; Koong, Albert C

    2012-02-15

    Radiotherapy may improve the outcome of patients with pancreatic cancer but at an increased cost. In this study, the authors evaluated the cost-effectiveness of modern radiotherapy techniques in the treatment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer. A Markov decision-analytic model was constructed to compare the cost-effectiveness of 4 treatment regimens: gemcitabine alone, gemcitabine plus conventional radiotherapy, gemcitabine plus intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT); and gemcitabine with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). Patients transitioned between the following 5 health states: stable disease, local progression, distant failure, local and distant failure, and death. Health utility tolls were assessed for radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments and for radiation toxicity. SBRT increased life expectancy by 0.20 quality-adjusted life years (QALY) at an increased cost of $13,700 compared with gemcitabine alone (incremental cost-effectiveness ratio [ICER] = $69,500 per QALY). SBRT was more effective and less costly than conventional radiotherapy and IMRT. An analysis that excluded SBRT demonstrated that conventional radiotherapy had an ICER of $126,800 per QALY compared with gemcitabine alone, and IMRT had an ICER of $1,584,100 per QALY compared with conventional radiotherapy. A probabilistic sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the probability of cost-effectiveness at a willingness to pay of $50,000 per QALY was 78% for gemcitabine alone, 21% for SBRT, 1.4% for conventional radiotherapy, and 0.01% for IMRT. At a willingness to pay of $200,000 per QALY, the probability of cost-effectiveness was 73% for SBRT, 20% for conventional radiotherapy, 7% for gemcitabine alone, and 0.7% for IMRT. The current results indicated that IMRT in locally advanced pancreatic cancer exceeds what society considers cost-effective. In contrast, combining gemcitabine with SBRT increased clinical effectiveness beyond that of gemcitabine alone at a cost potentially acceptable by

  17. Phase I study evaluating the treatment of patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer with carbon ion radiotherapy: the PHOENIX-01 trial

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Combs, Stephanie E; Debus, Jürgen; Habermehl, Daniel; Kieser, Meinhard; Dreher, Constantin; Werner, Jens; Haselmann, Renate; Jäkel, Oliver; Jäger, Dirk; Büchler, Markus W

    2013-01-01

    Treatment options for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer include surgery, chemotherapy as well as radiotherapy. In many cases, surgical resection is not possible, and therefore treatment alternatives have to be performed. Chemoradiation has been established as a convincing treatment alternative for locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Carbon ions offer physical and biological characteristics. Due to their inverted dose profile and the high local dose deposition within the Bragg peak precise dose application and sparing of normal tissue is possible. Moreover, in comparison to photons, carbon ions offer an increased relative biological effectiveness (RBE), which can be calculated between 1.16 and 2.46 depending on the pancreatic cancer cell line as well as the endpoint analyzed. Japanese Data on the evaluation of carbon ion radiation therapy showed promising results for patients with pancreatic cancer. The present PHOENIX-01 trial evaluates carbon ion radiotherapy using the active rasterscanning technique in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer in combination with weekly gemcitabine and adjuvant gemcitabine. Primary endpoint is toxicity, secondary endpoints are overall survival, progression-free survival and response. The physical and biological properties of the carbon ion beam promise to improve the therapeutic ratio in patients with pancreatic cancer: Due to the inverted dose profile dose deposition in the entry channel of the beam leads to sparing of normal tissue; the Bragg peak can be directed into the defined target volume, and the sharp dose fall-off thereafter again spares normal tissue behind the target volume. The higher RBE of carbon ions, which has been shown also for pancreatic cancer cell lines in the preclinical setting, is likely to contribute to an increase in local control, and perhaps in OS. Early data from Japanese centers have shown promising results. In conclusion, this is the first trial to evaluate actively delivered carbon

  18. PANCREATIC CANCER

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alojz Pleskovič

    2003-12-01

    Full Text Available Background. The pancreatic cancer is quite common malignant tumor of gastointestinal tract and its incidence is increasing in well developed part of the world. Despite of all advanced diagnostic methods the disease is in most cases recognised too late when the tumor is not resectable.Conclusions. Only in 20–30% of patients with pancreatic cancer surgical resection is possible, and even in this group 5year survival is very low. In the patients where the tumor is not resectable, sometimes only palliative procedures are indicated and sometimes only simptomatic therapy is possible. The average survival period in this group of patients is 12–20 months. Adjuvant chemo and radiotherapy has not shown much of benefit and the prognosis is still very bad.

  19. Hedgehog signaling and therapeutics in pancreatic cancer.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Kelleher, Fergal C

    2012-02-01

    OBJECTIVE: To conduct a systematic review of the role that the hedgehog signaling pathway has in pancreatic cancer tumorigenesis. METHOD: PubMed search (2000-2010) and literature based references. RESULTS: Firstly, in 2009 a genetic analysis of pancreatic cancers found that a core set of 12 cellular signaling pathways including hedgehog were genetically altered in 67-100% of cases. Secondly, in vitro and in vivo studies of treatment with cyclopamine (a naturally occurring antagonist of the hedgehog signaling pathway component; Smoothened) has shown that inhibition of hedgehog can abrogate pancreatic cancer metastasis. Thirdly, experimental evidence has demonstrated that sonic hedgehog (Shh) is correlated with desmoplasia in pancreatic cancer. This is important because targeting the Shh pathway potentially may facilitate chemotherapeutic drug delivery as pancreatic cancers tend to have a dense fibrotic stroma that extrinsically compresses the tumor vasculature leading to a hypoperfusing intratumoral circulation. It is probable that patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer will derive the greatest benefit from treatment with Smoothened antagonists. Fourthly, it has been found that ligand dependent activation by hedgehog occurs in the tumor stromal microenvironment in pancreatic cancer, a paracrine effect on tumorigenesis. Finally, in pancreatic cancer, cells with the CD44+CD24+ESA+ immunophenotype select a population enriched for cancer initiating stem cells. Shh is increased 46-fold in CD44+CD24+ESA+ cells compared with normal pancreatic epithelial cells. Medications that destruct pancreatic cancer initiating stem cells are a potentially novel strategy in cancer treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Aberrant hedgehog signaling occurs in pancreatic cancer tumorigenesis and therapeutics that target the transmembrane receptor Smoothened abrogate hedgehog signaling and may improve the outcomes of patients with pancreatic cancer.

  20. Systematic review of innovative ablative therapies for the treatment of locally advanced pancreatic cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rombouts, S. J. E.; Vogel, J. A.; van Santvoort, H. C.; van Lienden, K. P.; van Hillegersberg, R.; Busch, O. R. C.; Besselink, M. G. H.; Molenaar, I. Q.

    2015-01-01

    BackgroundLocally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) is associated with a very poor prognosis. Current palliative (radio)chemotherapy provides only a marginal survival benefit of 2-3 months. Several innovative local ablative therapies have been explored as new treatment options. This systematic

  1. Radiotherapy Technical Considerations in the Management of Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: American-French Consensus Recommendations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huguet, Florence; Goodman, Karyn A.; Azria, David; Racadot, Severine; Abrams, Ross A.

    2012-01-01

    Summary: Pancreatic carcinoma is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Approximately 30% of pancreatic cancer patients present with locally advanced, unresectable nonmetastatic disease. For these patients, two therapeutic options exist: systemic chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. Within this context, the optimal technique for pancreatic irradiation is not clearly defined. A search to identify relevant studies was undertaken using the Medline database. All Phase III randomized trials evaluating the modalities of radiotherapy in locally advanced pancreatic cancer were included, as were some noncontrolled Phase II and retrospective studies. An expert panel convened with members of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group and GERCOR cooperative groups to review identified studies and prepare the guidelines. Each member of the working group independently evaluated five endpoints: total dose, target volume definition, radiotherapy planning technique, dose constraints to organs at risk, and quality assurance. Based on this analysis of the literature, we recommend either three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy or intensity-modulated radiation therapy to a total dose of 50 to 54 Gy at 1.8 to 2 Gy per fraction. We propose gross tumor volume identification to be followed by an expansion of 1.5 to 2 cm anteriorly, posteriorly, and laterally, and 2 to 3 cm craniocaudally to generate the planning target volume. The craniocaudal margins can be reduced with the use of respiratory gating. Organs at risk are liver, kidneys, spinal cord, stomach, and small bowel. Stereotactic body radiation therapy should not be used for pancreatic cancer outside of clinical trials. Radiotherapy quality assurance is mandatory in clinical trials. These consensus recommendations are proposed for use in the development of future trials testing new chemotherapy combinations with radiotherapy. Not all of these recommendations will be appropriate for trials testing radiotherapy dose or dose

  2. Radiotherapy technical considerations in the management of locally advanced pancreatic cancer: American-French consensus recommendations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Huguet, Florence; Goodman, Karyn A; Azria, David; Racadot, Severine; Abrams, Ross A

    2012-08-01

    Pancreatic carcinoma is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality. Approximately 30% of pancreatic cancer patients present with locally advanced, unresectable nonmetastatic disease. For these patients, two therapeutic options exist: systemic chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy. Within this context, the optimal technique for pancreatic irradiation is not clearly defined. A search to identify relevant studies was undertaken using the Medline database. All Phase III randomized trials evaluating the modalities of radiotherapy in locally advanced pancreatic cancer were included, as were some noncontrolled Phase II and retrospective studies. An expert panel convened with members of the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group and GERCOR cooperative groups to review identified studies and prepare the guidelines. Each member of the working group independently evaluated five endpoints: total dose, target volume definition, radiotherapy planning technique, dose constraints to organs at risk, and quality assurance. Based on this analysis of the literature, we recommend either three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy or intensity-modulated radiation therapy to a total dose of 50 to 54 Gy at 1.8 to 2 Gy per fraction. We propose gross tumor volume identification to be followed by an expansion of 1.5 to 2 cm anteriorly, posteriorly, and laterally, and 2 to 3 cm craniocaudally to generate the planning target volume. The craniocaudal margins can be reduced with the use of respiratory gating. Organs at risk are liver, kidneys, spinal cord, stomach, and small bowel. Stereotactic body radiation therapy should not be used for pancreatic cancer outside of clinical trials. Radiotherapy quality assurance is mandatory in clinical trials. These consensus recommendations are proposed for use in the development of future trials testing new chemotherapy combinations with radiotherapy. Not all of these recommendations will be appropriate for trials testing radiotherapy dose or dose intensity

  3. Contemporary Management of Localized Resectable Pancreatic Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kommalapati, Anuhya; Tella, Sri Harsha; Goyal, Gaurav; Ma, Wen Wee; Mahipal, Amit

    2018-01-20

    Pancreatic cancer is the third most common cause of cancer deaths in the United States. Surgical resection with negative margins still constitutes the cornerstone of potentially curative therapy, but is possible only in 15-20% of patients at the time of initial diagnosis. Accumulating evidence suggests that the neoadjuvant approach may improve R0 resection rate in localized resectable and borderline resectable diseases, and potentially downstage locally advanced disease to achieve surgical resection, though the impact on survival is to be determined. Despite advancements in the last decade in developing effective combinational chemo-radio therapeutic options, preoperative treatment strategies, and better peri-operative care, pancreatic cancer continues to carry a dismal prognosis in the majority. Prodigious efforts are currently being made in optimizing the neoadjuvant therapy with a better toxicity profile, developing novel agents, imaging techniques, and identification of biomarkers for the disease. Advancement in our understanding of the tumor microenvironment and molecular pathology is urgently needed to facilitate the development of novel targeted and immunotherapies for this setting. In this review, we detail the current literature on contemporary management of resectable, borderline resectable and locally advanced pancreatic cancer with a focus on future directions in the field.

  4. Clinical benefit response of concurrent chemoradiotherapy with protracted 5-fluorouracil infusion in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okusaka, Takuji; Okada, Shuichi; Ishii, Hiroshi

    1998-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is a highly virulent disease with a poor prognosis. Although objective tumor response to chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy is low, some patients show an improvement in their symptoms after treatments, without obvious tumor regression. We assessed the clinical benefit of concurrent chemoradiotherapy with protracted 5-fluorouracil infusion in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Sixteen patients were enrolled in this study. The clinical benefit response to the chemoradiotherapy was evaluated by 2 indicators, including pain (intensity of pain and consumption of morphine) and performance status. A patient was defined to be a clinical benefit responder if 1 of these 2 variables was positive, and the other variable was positive or stable. Seven patients (44%) responded. Six patients (38%) were classified as stable, and 3 (19%) as nonresponders. The survival period in responders was significantly longer than that in nonresponders and stable patients. Concurrent external-beam radiation therapy, with protracted 5-fluorouracil infusion, may be a meaningful treatment for locally advanced pancreatic cancer. (author)

  5. Icotinib plus gemcitabine for metastatic pancreatic cancer: a case report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhao, Jing; Shen, Hong; Hu, Han-Guang; Huang, Jian-Jin

    2015-03-21

    A large majority of patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer have advanced metastatic disease with unresectable malignancies. Despite treatment advances, the survival benefit from chemotherapeutic regimens and targeted drugs is limited. Moreover, their application is limited in China because of high toxicity and cost. Recently, inhibitors of epidermal growth factor receptor activity have shown promise for the treatment of solid cancers when used in combination with standard therapy. However, these drugs have not been evaluated extensively for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Here, we report the treatment of a 64-year-old male with metastatic pancreatic cancer using a novel regimen of icotinib with gemcitabine. Marked shrinkage of the mass was observed after two treatment cycles, and partial remission was achieved. The abdominal pain was relieved. The adverse effects were tolerable and treatment cost was acceptable. This is the first reported case for the treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer with icotinib plus gemcitabine and demonstrates a promising therapeutic alternative.

  6. Molecular biology of pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zavoral, Miroslav; Minarikova, Petra; Zavada, Filip; Salek, Cyril; Minarik, Marek

    2011-06-28

    In spite of continuous research efforts directed at early detection and treatment of pancreatic cancer, the outlook for patients affected by the disease remains dismal. With most cases still being diagnosed at advanced stages, no improvement in survival prognosis is achieved with current diagnostic imaging approaches. In the absence of a dominant precancerous condition, several risk factors have been identified including family history, chronic pancreatitis, smoking, diabetes mellitus, as well as certain genetic disorders such as hereditary pancreatitis, cystic fibrosis, familial atypical multiple mole melanoma, and Peutz-Jeghers and Lynch syndromes. Most pancreatic carcinomas, however, remain sporadic. Current progress in experimental molecular techniques has enabled detailed understanding of the molecular processes of pancreatic cancer development. According to the latest information, malignant pancreatic transformation involves multiple oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes that are involved in a variety of signaling pathways. The most characteristic aberrations (somatic point mutations and allelic losses) affect oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes within RAS, AKT and Wnt signaling, and have a key role in transcription and proliferation, as well as systems that regulate the cell cycle (SMAD/DPC, CDKN2A/p16) and apoptosis (TP53). Understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms should promote development of new methodology for early diagnosis and facilitate improvement in current approaches for pancreatic cancer treatment.

  7. Pancreatic Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... hormones that help control blood sugar levels. Pancreatic cancer usually begins in the cells that produce the juices. Some risk factors for developing pancreatic cancer include Smoking Long-term diabetes Chronic pancreatitis Certain ...

  8. Inaugural Meeting of North American Pancreatic Cancer Organizations: Advancing Collaboration and Communication.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenner, Barbara J; Fleshman, Julie M; Goldberg, Ann E; Rothschild, Laura J

    2015-11-01

    A meeting of North American Pancreatic Cancer Organizations planned by Kenner Family Research Fund and Pancreatic Cancer Action Network was held on July 15-16, 2015, in New York City. The meeting was attended by 32 individuals from 20 nonprofit groups from the United States and Canada. The objectives of this inaugural convening were to share mission goals and initiatives, engage as leaders, cultivate potential partnerships, and increase participation in World Pancreatic Cancer Day. The program was designed to provide opportunities for informal conversations, as well as facilitated discussions to meet the stated objectives. At the conclusion of the meeting, the group agreed that enhancing collaboration and communication will result in a more unified approach within the field and will benefit individuals diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. As a first step, the group will actively collaborate to participate in World Pancreatic Cancer Day, which is planned for November 13, 2015, and seeks to raise the level of visibility about the disease globally.

  9. Cancer Stem Cells in Pancreatic Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bao, Qi; Zhao, Yue; Renner, Andrea; Niess, Hanno; Seeliger, Hendrik; Jauch, Karl-Walter; Bruns, Christiane J., E-mail: christiane.bruns@med.uni-muenchen.de [Department of Surgery, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Klinikum Grosshadern, Marchioninistr. 15, D-81377, Munich (Germany)

    2010-08-19

    Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive malignant solid tumor well-known by early metastasis, local invasion, resistance to standard chemo- and radiotherapy and poor prognosis. Increasing evidence indicates that pancreatic cancer is initiated and propagated by cancer stem cells (CSCs). Here we review the current research results regarding CSCs in pancreatic cancer and discuss the different markers identifying pancreatic CSCs. This review will focus on metastasis, microRNA regulation and anti-CSC therapy in pancreatic cancer.

  10. The Epidemiology of Pancreatitis and Pancreatic Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yadav, Dhiraj; Lowenfels, Albert B.

    2013-01-01

    Acute pancreatitis is one of the most frequent gastrointestinal causes for hospital admission in the US. Chronic pancreatitis, although lower in incidence, significantly reduces patients’ quality of life. Pancreatic cancer has high mortality and is 1 of the top 5 causes of death from cancer. The burden of pancreatic disorders is expected to increase over time. The risk and etiology of pancreatitis differ with age and sex, and all pancreatic disorders affect Blacks more than any other race. Gallstones are the most common cause of acute pancreatitis, and early cholecystectomy eliminates the risk of future attacks. Alcohol continues to be the single most important risk factor for chronic pancreatitis. Smoking is an independent risk factor for acute and chronic pancreatitis, and its effects could synergize with those of alcohol. Significant risk factors for pancreatic cancer include smoking and non-O blood groups. Alcohol abstinence and smoking cessation can alter progression of pancreatitis and reduce recurrence; smoking cessation is the most effective strategy to reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer. PMID:23622135

  11. Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor in Pancreatic Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oliveira-Cunha, Melissa; Newman, William G.; Siriwardena, Ajith K.

    2011-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer related death. The difficulty in detecting pancreatic cancer at an early stage, aggressiveness and the lack of effective therapy all contribute to the high mortality. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a transmembrane glycoprotein, which is expressed in normal human tissues. It is a member of the tyrosine kinase family of growth factors receptors and is encoded by proto-oncogenes. Several studies have demonstrated that EGFR is over-expressed in pancreatic cancer. Over-expression correlates with more advanced disease, poor survival and the presence of metastases. Therefore, inhibition of the EGFR signaling pathway is an attractive therapeutic target. Although several combinations of EGFR inhibitors with chemotherapy demonstrate inhibition of tumor-induced angiogenesis, tumor cell apoptosis and regression in xenograft models, these benefits remain to be confirmed. Multimodality treatment incorporating EGFR-inhibition is emerging as a novel strategy in the treatment of pancreatic cancer

  12. Cancer Stem Cells in Pancreatic Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bao, Qi; Zhao, Yue; Renner, Andrea; Niess, Hanno; Seeliger, Hendrik; Jauch, Karl-Walter; Bruns, Christiane J.

    2010-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive malignant solid tumor well-known by early metastasis, local invasion, resistance to standard chemo- and radiotherapy and poor prognosis. Increasing evidence indicates that pancreatic cancer is initiated and propagated by cancer stem cells (CSCs). Here we review the current research results regarding CSCs in pancreatic cancer and discuss the different markers identifying pancreatic CSCs. This review will focus on metastasis, microRNA regulation and anti-CSC therapy in pancreatic cancer. PMID:24281178

  13. Cancer Stem Cells in Pancreatic Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Karl-Walter Jauch

    2010-08-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive malignant solid tumor well-known by early metastasis, local invasion, resistance to standard chemo- and radiotherapy and poor prognosis. Increasing evidence indicates that pancreatic cancer is initiated and propagated by cancer stem cells (CSCs. Here we review the current research results regarding CSCs in pancreatic cancer and discuss the different markers identifying pancreatic CSCs. This review will focus on metastasis, microRNA regulation and anti-CSC therapy in pancreatic cancer.

  14. Chemotherapy Regimen Extends Survival in Advanced Pancreatic Cancer Patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    A four-drug chemotherapy regimen has produced the longest improvement in survival ever seen in a phase III clinical trial of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer, one of the deadliest types of cancer.

  15. Radiofrequency ablation for unresectable locally advanced pancreatic cancer: a systematic review

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fegrachi, Samira; Besselink, Marc G; van Santvoort, Hjalmar C; van Hillegersberg, Richard; Molenaar, Izaak Quintus

    2014-01-01

    Background: Median survival in patients with unresectable locally advanced pancreatic cancer lies in the range of 9–15 months. Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) may prolong survival, but data on its safety and efficacy are scarce. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library with the syntax ‘(radiofrequency OR RFA) AND (pancreas OR pancreatic)’ for studies published until 1 January 2012. In addition, a search of the proceedings of conferences on pancreatic disease that took place during 2009–2011 was performed. Studies with fewer than five patients were excluded as they were considered to be case reports. The primary endpoint was survival. Secondary endpoints included morbidity and mortality. Results: Five studies involving a total of 158 patients with pancreatic cancer treated with RFA fulfilled the eligibility criteria. These studies reported median survival after RFA of 3–33 months, morbidity related to RFA of 4–37%, mortality of 0–19% and overall morbidity of 10–43%. Pooling of data was not appropriate as the study populations and reported outcomes were heterogeneous. Crucial safety aspects included ensuring a maximum RFA tip temperature of < 90 °C and ensuring minimum distances between the RFA probe and surrounding structures. Conclusions: Radiofrequency ablation seems to be feasible and safe when it is used with the correct temperature and at an appropriate distance from vital structures. It appears to have a positive impact on survival. Multicentre randomized trials are necessary to determine the true effect size of RFA and to minimize the impacts of selection and publication biases. PMID:23600801

  16. The epidemiology of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yadav, Dhiraj; Lowenfels, Albert B

    2013-06-01

    Acute pancreatitis is one of the most frequent gastrointestinal causes of hospital admission in the United States. Chronic pancreatitis, although lower in incidence, significantly reduces patients' quality of life. Pancreatic cancer is associated with a high mortality rate and is one of the top 5 causes of death from cancer. The burden of pancreatic disorders is expected to increase over time. The risk and etiology of pancreatitis differ with age and sex, and all pancreatic disorders affect the black population more than any other race. Gallstones are the most common cause of acute pancreatitis, and early cholecystectomy eliminates the risk of future attacks. Alcohol continues to be the single most important risk factor for chronic pancreatitis. Smoking is an independent risk factor for acute and chronic pancreatitis, and its effects could synergize with those of alcohol. Significant risk factors for pancreatic cancer include smoking and non-O blood groups. Alcohol abstinence and smoking cessation can alter the progression of pancreatitis and reduce recurrence; smoking cessation is the most effective strategy to reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer. Copyright © 2013 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. The results of palliative radiation therapy in patients with unresectable advanced pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ryu, Mi Ryeong; Yoon, Sei Chul; Kim, Yeon Sil; Chung, Su Mi

    2006-01-01

    To evaluate the treatment results and prognostic factors of palliative radiation therapy in the patients with unresectable advanced pancreatic cancer. Thirty-seven evaluable patients with unresectable advanced pancreatic cancer who were treated by palliative radiation therapy for pain relief at the Department of Radiation Oncology, Kangnam St. Mary's hospital, the Catholic University of Korea between March 1984 and February 2005 were analysed retrospectively. There were 22 men and 15 women. Age at diagnosis ranged from 30 to 80 (median 57) years. Twelve patients (32.4%) had liver metastases and 22 patients (59.5%) had lymph node metastases. Radiation therapy was delivered to primary tumor and regional lymph nodes with 1 ∼ 2 cm margin, and total dose was 3,240 ∼ 5,580 cGy (median 5,040 cGy). Chemotherapy with radiotherapy was delivered in 30 patients (81%) with 5-FU alone (21 patients) or gemcitabine (9 patients). The follow-up period ranged from 1 to 44 months. Survival and prognostic factors were analysed using Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test respectively. Overall mean and median survival were 11 and 8 months and 1-year survival rate was 20%. Among 33 patients who were amenable for response evaluation, 7 patients had good response and 22 patients had fail response with overall response rate of 87.9%. Mild to moderate toxicity were observed in 14 patients with nausea, vomiting, and indigestion, but severe toxicity requiring interruption of treatment were not observed. Chemotherapy didn't influence the survival and symptomatic palliation, but the group containing gemcitabine showed a tendency of longer survival (median 12 months) than 5-FU alone group (median 5.5 months) without statistical significance (ρ > 0.05). The significant prognostic factors were Karnofsky performance status and liver metastasis (ρ 0.05). Radiation therapy was effective for symptomatic palliation in the patients with unresectable advanced pancreatic cancer and would play an

  18. Molecular Biology of Pancreatic Cancer: How Useful Is It in Clinical Practice?

    OpenAIRE

    George H Sakorafas; Vasileios Smyrniotis

    2012-01-01

    Context During the recent two decades dramatic advances of molecular biology allowed an in-depth understanding of pancreatic carcinogenesis. It is currently accepted that pancreatic cancer has a genetic component. The real challenge is now how these impressive advances could be used in clinical practice. Objective To critically present currently available data regarding clinical application of molecular biology in pancreatic cancer. Methods Reports about clinical implications of molecular bio...

  19. Molecular Endoscopic Ultrasound for Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bournet, Barbara [Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Center Rangueil, 1 avenue Jean Poulhès, TSA 50032, 31059 Toulouse Cedex 9 (France); INSERM U1037, University Hospital Center Rangueil, Toulouse (France); Pointreau, Adeline; Delpu, Yannick; Selves, Janick; Torrisani, Jerome [INSERM U1037, University Hospital Center Rangueil, Toulouse (France); Buscail, Louis, E-mail: buscail.l@chu-toulouse.fr [Department of Gastroenterology, University Hospital Center Rangueil, 1 avenue Jean Poulhès, TSA 50032, 31059 Toulouse Cedex 9 (France); INSERM U1037, University Hospital Center Rangueil, Toulouse (France); Cordelier, Pierre [INSERM U1037, University Hospital Center Rangueil, Toulouse (France)

    2011-02-24

    Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration-biopsy is a safe and effective technique in diagnosing and staging of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. However its predictive negative value does not exceed 50% to 60%. Unfortunately, the majority of pancreatic cancer patients have a metastatic and/or a locally advanced disease (i.e., not eligible for curative resection) which explains the limited access to pancreatic tissue specimens. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration-biopsy is the most widely used approach for cytological and histological material sampling in these situations used in up to two thirds of patients with pancreatic cancer. Based on this unique material, we and others developed strategies to improve the differential diagnosis between carcinoma and inflammatory pancreatic lesions by analysis of KRAS oncogene mutation, microRNA expression and methylation, as well as mRNA expression using both qRT-PCR and Low Density Array Taqman analysis. Indeed, differentiating pancreatic cancer from pseudotumoral chronic pancreatitis remains very difficult in current clinical practice, and endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration-biopsy analysis proved to be very helpful. In this review, we will compile the clinical and molecular advantages of using endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration-biopsy in managing pancreatic cancer.

  20. Molecular Endoscopic Ultrasound for Diagnosis of Pancreatic Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bournet, Barbara; Pointreau, Adeline; Delpu, Yannick; Selves, Janick; Torrisani, Jerome; Buscail, Louis; Cordelier, Pierre

    2011-01-01

    Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration-biopsy is a safe and effective technique in diagnosing and staging of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. However its predictive negative value does not exceed 50% to 60%. Unfortunately, the majority of pancreatic cancer patients have a metastatic and/or a locally advanced disease (i.e., not eligible for curative resection) which explains the limited access to pancreatic tissue specimens. Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration-biopsy is the most widely used approach for cytological and histological material sampling in these situations used in up to two thirds of patients with pancreatic cancer. Based on this unique material, we and others developed strategies to improve the differential diagnosis between carcinoma and inflammatory pancreatic lesions by analysis of KRAS oncogene mutation, microRNA expression and methylation, as well as mRNA expression using both qRT-PCR and Low Density Array Taqman analysis. Indeed, differentiating pancreatic cancer from pseudotumoral chronic pancreatitis remains very difficult in current clinical practice, and endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration-biopsy analysis proved to be very helpful. In this review, we will compile the clinical and molecular advantages of using endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration-biopsy in managing pancreatic cancer

  1. Pancreatic Exocrine Insufficiency in Pancreatic Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Miroslav Vujasinovic

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Abstract: Cancer patients experience weight loss for a variety of reasons, commencing with the tumor’s metabolism (Warburg effect and proceeding via cachexia to loss of appetite. In pancreatic cancer, several other factors are involved, including a loss of appetite with a particular aversion to meat and the incapacity of the pancreatic gland to function normally when a tumor is present in the pancreatic head. Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency is characterized by a deficiency of the enzymes secreted from the pancreas due to the obstructive tumor, resulting in maldigestion. This, in turn, contributes to malnutrition, specifically a lack of fat-soluble vitamins, antioxidants, and other micronutrients. Patients with pancreatic cancer and pancreatic exocrine insufficiency have, overall, an extremely poor prognosis with regard to surgical outcome and overall survival. Therefore, it is crucial to be aware of the mechanisms involved in the disease, to be able to diagnose pancreatic exocrine insufficiency early on, and to treat malnutrition appropriately, for example, with pancreatic enzymes.

  2. Pancreatic Exocrine Insufficiency in Pancreatic Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vujasinovic, Miroslav; Valente, Roberto; Del Chiaro, Marco; Permert, Johan; Löhr, J-Matthias

    2017-02-23

    Abstract : Cancer patients experience weight loss for a variety of reasons, commencing with the tumor's metabolism (Warburg effect) and proceeding via cachexia to loss of appetite. In pancreatic cancer, several other factors are involved, including a loss of appetite with a particular aversion to meat and the incapacity of the pancreatic gland to function normally when a tumor is present in the pancreatic head. Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency is characterized by a deficiency of the enzymes secreted from the pancreas due to the obstructive tumor, resulting in maldigestion. This, in turn, contributes to malnutrition, specifically a lack of fat-soluble vitamins, antioxidants, and other micronutrients. Patients with pancreatic cancer and pancreatic exocrine insufficiency have, overall, an extremely poor prognosis with regard to surgical outcome and overall survival. Therefore, it is crucial to be aware of the mechanisms involved in the disease, to be able to diagnose pancreatic exocrine insufficiency early on, and to treat malnutrition appropriately, for example, with pancreatic enzymes.

  3. Endoscopic Palliation for Pancreatic Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mihir Bakhru

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is devastating due to its poor prognosis. Patients require a multidisciplinary approach to guide available options, mostly palliative because of advanced disease at presentation. Palliation including relief of biliary obstruction, gastric outlet obstruction, and cancer-related pain has become the focus in patients whose cancer is determined to be unresectable. Endoscopic stenting for biliary obstruction is an option for drainage to avoid the complications including jaundice, pruritus, infection, liver dysfunction and eventually failure. Enteral stents can relieve gastric obstruction and allow patients to resume oral intake. Pain is difficult to treat in cancer patients and endoscopic procedures such as pancreatic stenting and celiac plexus neurolysis can provide relief. The objective of endoscopic palliation is to primarily address symptoms as well improve quality of life.

  4. Intraoperative radiotherapy in pancreatic cancer: A systematic review

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ruano-Ravina, Alberto; Almazan Ortega, Raquel; Guedea, Ferrran

    2008-01-01

    Background and purpose: Intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) has been considered for treatment of pancreas cancer since local recurrence rates are very high. This study assesses the efficacy and safety of IORT in pancreatic cancer. Materials and methods: We conducted a systematic review of scientific literature from January 1995 to February 2007, including Medline, Embase, ISI Web of Science and HTA (Health Technology Assessment). By applying a series of inclusion criteria, two independent reviewers selected those studies in which a minimum of 30 patients received IORT and which furnished survival results based on a minimum 3-month follow-up. Results: Fourteen papers were included, one was an IORT assessment report, 5 were cohort studies, and the remaining 8 were case series studies, 2 of which belonged to the same series. In general, these studies showed that IORT could slightly increase survival among patients with pancreatic cancer in localized stages. However, the results were not conclusively in favor of IORT in the case of pancreatic cancer in locally advanced and metastatic stages. There were no published studies that assessed quality of life. Conclusions: There is no clear evidence to indicate that IORT is more effective than other therapies in treating pancreatic cancer in locally advanced and metastatic stages

  5. Association between protein C levels and mortality in patients with advanced prostate, lung and pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilts, I T; Hutten, B A; Meijers, J C M; Spek, C A; Büller, H R; Kamphuisen, P W

    2017-06-01

    Procoagulant factors promote cancer progression and metastasis. Protein C is involved in hemostasis, inflammation and signal transduction, and has a protective effect on the endothelial barrier. In mice, administration of activated protein C reduced experimental metastasis. We assessed the association between protein C and mortality in patients with three types of cancer. The study population consisted of patients with advanced prostate, non-small cell lung or pancreatic cancer, who participated in the INPACT trial (NCT00312013). The trial evaluated the addition of nadroparin to chemotherapy in patients with advanced malignancy. Patients were divided into tertiles based on protein C at baseline. The association between protein C levels and mortality was evaluated with Cox proportional hazard models. We analysed 477 patients (protein C tertiles: C level was 107% (IQR 92-129). In the lowest tertile, 75 patients per 100 patient-years died, as compared to 60 and 54 in the middle and high tertile, respectively. Lower levels of protein C were associated with increased mortality (in tertiles: HR for trend 1.18, 95%CI 1.02-1.36, adjusted for age, sex and nadroparin use; as a continuous variable: HR 1.004, 95%CI 1.00-1.008, p=0.07). Protein C seems inversely associated with mortality in patients with advanced prostate, lung and pancreatic cancer. Further research should validate protein C as a biomarker for mortality, and explore the effects of protein C on progression of cancer. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Molecular biology of pancreatic cancer: how useful is it in clinical practice?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sakorafas, George H; Smyrniotis, Vasileios

    2012-07-10

    During the recent two decades dramatic advances of molecular biology allowed an in-depth understanding of pancreatic carcinogenesis. It is currently accepted that pancreatic cancer has a genetic component. The real challenge is now how these impressive advances could be used in clinical practice. To critically present currently available data regarding clinical application of molecular biology in pancreatic cancer. Reports about clinical implications of molecular biology in patients with pancreatic cancer were retrieved from PubMed. These reports were selected on the basis of their clinical relevance, and the data of their publication (preferentially within the last 5 years). Emphasis was placed on reports investigating diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic implications. Molecular biology can be used to identify individuals at high-risk for pancreatic cancer development. Intensive surveillance is indicated in these patients to detect pancreatic neoplasia ideally at a preinvasive stage, when curative resection is still possible. Molecular biology can also be used in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, with molecular analysis on samples of biologic material, such as serum or plasma, duodenal fluid or preferentially pure pancreatic juice, pancreatic cells or tissue, and stools. Molecular indices have also prognostic significance. Finally, molecular biology may have therapeutic implications by using various therapeutic approaches, such as antiangiogenic factors, purine synthesis inhibitors, matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors, factors modulating tumor-stroma interaction, inactivation of the hedgehog pathway, gene therapy, oncolytic viral therapy, immunotherapy (both passive as well as active) etc. Molecular biology may have important clinical implications in patients with pancreatic cancer and represents one of the most active areas on cancer research. Hopefully clinical applications of molecular biology in pancreatic cancer will expand in the future, improving the

  7. Outcome after neoadjuvant chemoradiation and correlation with nutritional status in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Naumann, P.; Habermehl, D.; Welzel, T.; Combs, S.E. [University Clinic Heidelberg (Germany). Dept. of Radiation Oncology; Debus, J. [University Clinic Heidelberg (Germany). Dept. of Radiation Oncology; Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, Heidelberg (Germany)

    2013-09-15

    Background: Cancer patients commonly suffer from weight loss since rapid tumor growth can cause catabolic metabolism and depletion of energy stores such as abdominal fat. In locally advanced pancreatic cancer this is even more pronounced due to abdominal pain, fatigue, nausea or malnutrition. In the present article, we quantify this frequently observed weight loss and assess its impact on outcome and survival. Methods: Data on demographics, biometrics, toxicity and survival were collected for the last 100 patients treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation for locally advanced pancreatic cancer at our department (45.0 Gy and boost up to 54.0 Gy plus concurrent and subsequent gemcitabine), and the subcutaneous fat area at the umbilicus level was measured by computer tomography before and after chemoradiation. Results: After chemoradiation, patients showed a highly statistically significant weight loss and reduction of the subcutaneous fat area. We could determine a very strong correlation of subcutaneous fat area to patient BMI. By categorizing patients according to their BMI based on the WHO classification as slender, normal, overweight and obese, we found improved but not statistically significant survival among obese patients. Accordingly, patients who showed less weight loss tended to survive longer. Conclusions: In this study, patients with pancreatic cancer lost weight during chemoradiation and their subcutaneous fat diminished. Changes in subcutaneous fat area were highly correlated with patients' BMI. Moreover, obese patients and patients who lost less weight had an improved outcome after treatment. Although the extent of weight loss was not significantly correlated with survival, the observed trend warrants greater attention to nutritional status in the future. (orig.)

  8. Outcome after neoadjuvant chemoradiation and correlation with nutritional status in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Naumann, P.; Habermehl, D.; Welzel, T.; Combs, S.E.

    2013-01-01

    Background: Cancer patients commonly suffer from weight loss since rapid tumor growth can cause catabolic metabolism and depletion of energy stores such as abdominal fat. In locally advanced pancreatic cancer this is even more pronounced due to abdominal pain, fatigue, nausea or malnutrition. In the present article, we quantify this frequently observed weight loss and assess its impact on outcome and survival. Methods: Data on demographics, biometrics, toxicity and survival were collected for the last 100 patients treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation for locally advanced pancreatic cancer at our department (45.0 Gy and boost up to 54.0 Gy plus concurrent and subsequent gemcitabine), and the subcutaneous fat area at the umbilicus level was measured by computer tomography before and after chemoradiation. Results: After chemoradiation, patients showed a highly statistically significant weight loss and reduction of the subcutaneous fat area. We could determine a very strong correlation of subcutaneous fat area to patient BMI. By categorizing patients according to their BMI based on the WHO classification as slender, normal, overweight and obese, we found improved but not statistically significant survival among obese patients. Accordingly, patients who showed less weight loss tended to survive longer. Conclusions: In this study, patients with pancreatic cancer lost weight during chemoradiation and their subcutaneous fat diminished. Changes in subcutaneous fat area were highly correlated with patients' BMI. Moreover, obese patients and patients who lost less weight had an improved outcome after treatment. Although the extent of weight loss was not significantly correlated with survival, the observed trend warrants greater attention to nutritional status in the future. (orig.)

  9. Early Detection of Sporadic Pancreatic Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenner, Barbara J.; Chari, Suresh T.; Cleeter, Deborah F.; Go, Vay Liang W.

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Innovation leading to significant advances in research and subsequent translation to clinical practice is urgently necessary in early detection of sporadic pancreatic cancer. Addressing this need, the Early Detection of Sporadic Pancreatic Cancer Summit Conference was conducted by Kenner Family Research Fund in conjunction with the 2014 American Pancreatic Association and Japan Pancreas Society Meeting. International interdisciplinary scientific representatives engaged in strategic facilitated conversations based on distinct areas of inquiry: Case for Early Detection: Definitions, Detection, Survival, and Challenges; Biomarkers for Early Detection; Imaging; and Collaborative Studies. Ideas generated from the summit have led to the development of a Strategic Map for Innovation built upon 3 components: formation of an international collaborative effort, design of an actionable strategic plan, and implementation of operational standards, research priorities, and first-phase initiatives. Through invested and committed efforts of leading researchers and institutions, philanthropic partners, government agencies, and supportive business entities, this endeavor will change the future of the field and consequently the survival rate of those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. PMID:25938853

  10. Efficacy and Factors Affecting Outcome of Gemcitabine Concurrent Chemoradiotherapy in Patients With Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Huang, P.-I.; Chao, Yee; Li, C.-P.; Lee, R.-C.; Chi, K.-H.; Shiau, C.-Y.; Wang, L.-W.; Yen, S.-H.

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy and prognostic factors of gemcitabine (GEM) concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Methods and Materials: Between January 2002 and December 2005, 55 patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer treated with GEM (400 mg/m 2 /wk) concurrently with radiotherapy (median dose, 50.4 Gy; range, 26-61.2) at Taipei Veterans General Hospital were enrolled. GEM (1,000 mg/m 2 ) was continued after CCRT as maintenance therapy once weekly for 3 weeks and repeated every 4 weeks. The response, survival, toxicity, and prognostic factors were evaluated. Results: With a median follow-up of 10.8 months, the 1- and 2-year survival rate was 52% and 19%, respectively. The median overall survival (OS) and median time to progression (TTP) was 12.4 and 5.9 months, respectively. The response rate was 42% (2 complete responses and 21 partial responses). The major Grade 3-4 toxicities were neutropenia (22%) and anorexia (19%). The median OS and TTP was 15.8 and 9.5 months in the GEM CCRT responders compared with 7.5 and 3.5 months in the nonresponders, respectively (both p 2 /wk vs. 296 ± 15 mg/m 2 /wk, p = 0.02) than the nonresponders. KPS and serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 were the most significant prognostic factors of OS and TTP. Conclusion: The results of our study have shown that GEM CCRT is effective and tolerable for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. The KPS and GEM dose correlated with response. Also, the KPS and CA 19-9 level were the most important factors affecting OS and TTP

  11. Middle-preserving pancreatectomy for advanced transverse colon cancer invading the duodenun and non-functioning endocrine tumor in the pancreatic tail.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noda, Hiroshi; Kato, Takaharu; Kamiyama, Hidenori; Toyama, Nobuyuki; Konishi, Fumio

    2011-02-01

    A 73-year-old female was referred to our hospital with a diagnosis of advanced transverse colon cancer with severe anemia and body weight loss. Preoperative evaluations, including colonoscopy, gastroduodenoscopy, and computed tomography, revealed not only a transverse colon cancer massively invading the duodenum, but also a non-functioning endocrine tumor in the pancreatic tail. We performed middle-preserving pancreatectomy (MPP) with right hemicolectomy for these tumors with a curative intent. After the resection, about 6 cm of the body of the pancreas was preserved, and signs of diabetes mellitus have not appeared. The postoperative course was complicated by a grade B pancreatic fistula, but this was successfully treated with conservative management. After a 33-day hospital stay, the patient returned to daily life without signs of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency. Although the long-term follow-up of the patient is indispensable, in this case, MPP might be able to lead to the curative resection of transverse colon cancer massively invading the duodenum and non-functioning endocrine tumor in the pancreatic tail with preservation of pancreatic function.

  12. Phase I study of oral S-1 and concurrent radiotherapy in patients with unresectable locally advanced pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sudo, Kentaro; Yamaguchi, Taketo; Ishihara, Takeshi; Nakamura, Kazuyoshi; Shirai, Yoshihiko; Nakagawa, Akihiko; Kawakami, Hiroyuki; Uno, Takashi; Ito, Hisao; Saisho, Hiromitsu

    2007-01-01

    Purpose: The primary objective of this study was to determine the maximum-tolerated dose (MTD) of S-1, an oral fluoropyrimidine derivative, with concurrent radiotherapy in patients with unresectable locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Methods and Materials: Patients with histopathologically proven, unresectable, locally advanced pancreatic cancer were eligible. Radiotherapy was delivered in 1.8 Gy daily fractions to a total dose of 50.4 Gy over 5.5 weeks. S-1 was administered orally twice a day from Day 1 to 14 and 22 to 35 at escalating doses from 60 to 80 mg/m 2 /day. Results: Sixteen patients were enrolled in this study. Three patients received S-1 at 60 mg/m 2 /day, 3 at 70 mg/m 2 /day, and 10 at 80 mg/m 2 /day. Though 1 patient at the final dose level (80 mg/m 2 /day) experienced a dose limiting toxicity (biliary infection with Grade 3 neutropenia), the MTD was not reached in this study. The most common toxicities were anorexia and leukocytopenia, with Grade 3 toxicity occurring in 31% and 6.3% of the patients, respectively. Conclusions: The recommended dose of S-1 with concurrent radiotherapy was determined to be 80 mg/m 2 /day from Day 1 to 14 and 22 to 35 in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Oral S-1 and radiotherapy is well tolerated and feasible and should be further investigated

  13. Outcome of three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy and intensity-modulated radiation therapy for inoperable locally advanced pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lu Ningning; Jin Jing; Li Yexiong; Yu Zihao; Liu Xinfan; Wang Weihu; Wang Shulian; Song Yongwen; Liu Yuping

    2009-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the outcome of radiotherapy for locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Methods: From January 2000 to December 2007, 41 patients with inoperable locally advanced (stage III) pancreatic cancer were treated with three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy(3DCRT) or intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). Among these patients, 30 received concurrent radio-chemo-therapy. Results: The median survival time(MST) and 1-year overall survival were 9.2 months and 23%. Patients with pretreatment KPS ≥ 80, no regional lymph nodes metastasis, and CR/PR after radiotherapy had better prognosis. The corresponding MSTs were 11.1 months vs 5.8 months (χ 2 =7.50, P=0.006), 10.8 months vs 6.5 months(χ 2 =5.67, P=0.017), and 19.5 months vs 9.1 months (χ 2 =7.28, P=0.007), respectively. Concurrent radio-chemotherapy tended to improve the overall survival(χ 2 =3.25, P=0.072). After radiotherapy, 18 patients had clinical benefit response, mainly being abdominal pain relief. Neither grade 4 hematologic nor grade 3 non-hematologic toxicities were observed. Conclusions: For patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer, both 3DCRT and IMRT are effective in alleviation of disease-related symptoms. Patients with better performance status before treatment, no regional lymph nodes metastasis, and better response to radiotherapy may have better prognosis. Concurrent radio-chemotherapy trend to improve overall survival when compared with radiotherapy alone. (authors)

  14. Pancreatic Cancer: Multicenter Prospective Data Collection and Analysis by the Hungarian Pancreatic Study Group.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lakatos, Gábor; Balázs, Anita; Kui, Balázs; Gódi, Szilárd; Szücs, Ákos; Szentesi, Andrea; Szentkereszty, Zsolt; Szmola, Richárd; Kelemen, Dezső; Papp, Róbert; Vincze, Áron; Czimmer, József; Pár, Gabriella; Bajor, Judit; Szabó, Imre; Izbéki, Ferenc; Halász, Adrienn; Leindler, László; Farkas, Gyula; Takács, Tamás; Czakó, László; Szepes, Zoltán; Hegyi, Péter; Kahán, Zsuzsanna

    2016-06-01

    Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease with poor prognosis. There is very limited information available regarding the epidemiology and treatment strategies of pancreatic cancer in Central Europe. The purpose of the study was to prospectively collect and analyze data of pancreatic cancer in the Hungarian population. The Hungarian Pancreatic Study Group (HPSG) organized prospective, uniform data collection. Altogether 354 patients were enrolled from 14 Hungarian centers. Chronic pancreatitis was present in 3.7% of the cases, while 33.7% of the patients had diabetes. Family history for pancreatic cancer was positive in 4.8%. The most frequent presenting symptoms included pain (63.8%), weight loss (63%) and jaundice (52.5%). The reported frequency of smoking and alcohol consumption was lower than expected (28.5% and 27.4%, respectively). The majority of patients (75.6%) were diagnosed with advanced disease. Most patients (83.6%) had a primary tumor located in the pancreatic head. The histological diagnosis was ductal adenocarcinoma in 90.7% of the cases, while neuroendocrine tumor was present in 5.3%. Biliary stent implantation was performed in 166 patients, 59.2% of them received metal stents. Primary tumor resection was performed in 60 (16.9%) patients. Enteral or biliary bypass was done in 35 and 49 patients, respectively. In a multivariate Cox-regression model, smoking status and presence of gemcitabine-based chemotherapy were identified as independent predictors for overall survival. We report the first data from a large cohort of Hungarian pancreatic cancer patients. We identified smoking status and chemotherapy as independent predictors in this cohort.

  15. Guadecitabine and Durvalumab in Treating Patients With Advanced Liver, Pancreatic, Bile Duct, or Gallbladder Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2018-04-27

    Extrahepatic Bile Duct Adenocarcinoma, Biliary Type; Gallbladder Adenocarcinoma, Biliary Type; Metastatic Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma; Recurrent Cholangiocarcinoma; Recurrent Gallbladder Carcinoma; Recurrent Hepatocellular Carcinoma; Recurrent Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma; Recurrent Pancreatic Carcinoma; Stage III Gallbladder Cancer AJCC V7; Stage III Hepatocellular Carcinoma AJCC v7; Stage III Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma AJCC v7; Stage III Pancreatic Cancer AJCC v6 and v7; Stage IIIA Gallbladder Cancer AJCC v7; Stage IIIA Hepatocellular Carcinoma AJCC v7; Stage IIIB Gallbladder Cancer AJCC v7; Stage IIIB Hepatocellular Carcinoma AJCC v7; Stage IIIC Hepatocellular Carcinoma AJCC v7; Stage IV Gallbladder Cancer AJCC v7; Stage IV Hepatocellular Carcinoma AJCC v7; Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer AJCC v6 and v7; Stage IVA Gallbladder Cancer AJCC v7; Stage IVA Hepatocellular Carcinoma AJCC v7; Stage IVA Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma AJCC v7; Stage IVB Gallbladder Cancer AJCC v7; Stage IVB Hepatocellular Carcinoma AJCC v7; Stage IVB Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma AJCC v7; Unresectable Gallbladder Carcinoma; Unresectable Pancreatic Carcinoma

  16. Pancreatic cancer surgery: past, present, and future.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griffin, James F; Poruk, Katherine E; Wolfgang, Christopher L

    2015-08-01

    The history of pancreatic cancer surgery, though fraught with failure and setbacks, is punctuated by periods of incremental progress dependent upon the state of the art and the mettle of the surgeons daring enough to attempt it. Surgical anesthesia and the aseptic techniques developed during the latter half of the 19(th) century were instrumental in establishing a viable setting for pancreatic surgery to develop. Together, they allowed for bolder interventions and improved survival through the post-operative period. Surgical management began with palliative procedures to address biliary obstruction in advanced disease. By the turn of the century, surgical pioneers such as Alessandro Codivilla and Walther Kausch were demonstrating the technical feasibility of pancreatic head resections and applying principles learned from palliation to perform complicated anatomical reconstructions. Allen O. Whipple, the namesake of the pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD), was the first to take a systematic approach to refining the procedure. Perhaps his greatest contribution was sparking a renewed interest in the surgical management of periampullary cancers and engendering a community of surgeons who advanced the field through their collective efforts. Though the work of Whipple and his contemporaries legitimized PD as an accepted surgical option, it was the establishment of high-volume centers of excellence and a multidisciplinary approach in the later decades of the 20(th) century that made it a viable surgical option. Today, pancreatic surgeons are experimenting with minimally invasive surgical techniques, expanding indications for resection, and investigating new methods for screening and early detection. In the future, the effective management of pancreatic cancer will depend upon our ability to reliably detect the earliest cancers and precursor lesions to allow for truly curative resections.

  17. Pancreatic stellate cells promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition in pancreatic cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kikuta, Kazuhiro; Masamune, Atsushi; Watanabe, Takashi; Ariga, Hiroyuki; Itoh, Hiromichi; Hamada, Shin; Satoh, Kennichi; Egawa, Shinichi; Unno, Michiaki; Shimosegawa, Tooru

    2010-01-01

    Research highlights: → Recent studies have shown that pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) promote the progression of pancreatic cancer. → Pancreatic cancer cells co-cultured with PSCs showed loose cell contacts and scattered, fibroblast-like appearance. → PSCs decreased the expression of epithelial markers but increased that of mesenchymal markers, along with increased migration. → This study suggests epithelial-mesenchymal transition as a novel mechanism by which PSCs contribute to the aggressive behavior of pancreatic cancer cells. -- Abstract: The interaction between pancreatic cancer cells and pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), a major profibrogenic cell type in the pancreas, is receiving increasing attention. There is accumulating evidence that PSCs promote the progression of pancreatic cancer by increasing cancer cell proliferation and invasion as well as by protecting them from radiation- and gemcitabine-induced apoptosis. Because epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a critical role in the progression of pancreatic cancer, we hypothesized that PSCs promote EMT in pancreatic cancer cells. Panc-1 and SUIT-2 pancreatic cancer cells were indirectly co-cultured with human PSCs isolated from patients undergoing operation for pancreatic cancer. The expression of epithelial and mesenchymal markers was examined by real-time PCR and immunofluorescent staining. The migration of pancreatic cancer cells was examined by scratch and two-chamber assays. Pancreatic cancer cells co-cultured with PSCs showed loose cell contacts and a scattered, fibroblast-like appearance. The expression of E-cadherin, cytokeratin 19, and membrane-associated β-catenin was decreased, whereas vimentin and Snail (Snai-1) expression was increased more in cancer cells co-cultured with PSCs than in mono-cultured cells. The migration of pancreatic cancer cells was increased by co-culture with PSCs. The PSC-induced decrease of E-cadherin expression was not altered by treatment with anti

  18. Targeted agents for patients with advanced/metastatic pancreatic cancer: A protocol for systematic review and network meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Di, Baoshan; Pan, Bei; Ge, Long; Ma, Jichun; Wu, Yiting; Guo, Tiankang

    2018-03-01

    Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a devastating malignant tumor. Although surgical resection may offer a good prognosis and prolong survival, approximately 80% patients with PC are always diagnosed as unresectable tumor. National Comprehensive Cancer Network's (NCCN) recommended gemcitabine-based chemotherapy as efficient treatment. While, according to recent studies, targeted agents might be a better available option for advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer patients. The aim of this systematic review and network meta-analysis will be to examine the differences of different targeted interventions for advanced/metastatic PC patients. We will conduct this systematic review and network meta-analysis using Bayesian method and according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA-P) statement. To identify relevant studies, 6 electronic databases including PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Web of science, CNKI (Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure), and CBM (Chinese Biological Medical Database) will be searched. The risk of bias in included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) will be assessed using the Cochrane Handbook version 5.1.0. And we will use GRADE approach to assess the quality of evidence from network meta-analysis. Data will be analyzed using R 3.4.1 software. To the best of our knowledge, this systematic review and network meta-analysis will firstly use both direct and indirect evidence to compare the differences of different targeted agents and targeted agents plus chemotherapy for advanced/metastatic pancreatic cancer patients. This is a protocol of systematic review and meta-analysis, so the ethical approval and patient consent are not required. We will disseminate the results of this review by submitting to a peer-reviewed journal.

  19. Familial Pancreatic Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephen J. Lanspa

    2010-11-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer’s high mortality rate equates closely with its incidence, thereby showing the need for development of biomarkers of its increased risk and a better understanding of its genetics, so that high-risk patients can be better targeted for screening and early potential lifesaving diagnosis. Its phenotypic and genotypic heterogeneity is extensive and requires careful scrutiny of its pattern of cancer associations, such as malignant melanoma associated with pancreatic cancer, in the familial atypical multiple mole melanoma syndrome, due to the CDKN2A germline mutation. This review is designed to depict several of the hereditary pancreatic cancer syndromes with particular attention given to the clinical application of this knowledge into improved control of pancreatic cancer.

  20. Singapore Cancer Network (SCAN) Guidelines for Systemic Therapy of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma.

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-10-01

    The SCAN pancreatic cancer workgroup aimed to develop Singapore Cancer Network (SCAN) clinical practice guidelines for systemic therapy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma in Singapore. The workgroup utilised a modified ADAPTE process to calibrate high quality international evidence-based clinical practice guidelines to our local setting. Five international guidelines were evaluated- those developed by the National Cancer Comprehensive Network (2014), the European Society of Medical Oncology (2012), Cancer Care Ontario (2013), the Japan Pancreas Society (2013) and the British Society of Gastroenterology, Pancreatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Association of Upper Gastrointestinal Surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland (2005). Recommendations on the management of resected, borderline resectable, locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma were developed. These adapted guidelines form the SCAN Guidelines for systemic therapy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma in Singapore.

  1. Pancreatic cancer risk in hereditary pancreatitis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Frank Ulrich Weiss

    2014-02-01

    Full Text Available Inflammation is part of the body’s immune response in order to remove harmful stimuli – like pathogens, irritants or damaged cells - and start the healing process. Recurrent or chronic inflammation on the other side seems a predisposing factor for carcinogenesis and has been found associated with cancer development. In chronic pancreatitis mutations of the cationic trypsinogen (PRSS1 gene have been identified as risk factors of the disease. Hereditary pancreatitis is a rare cause of chronic pancreatic inflammation with an early onset, mostly during childhood. Hereditary pancreatitis often starts with recurrent episodes of acute pancreatitis and the clinical phenotype is not very much different from other etiologies of the disease. The long-lasting inflammation however generates a tumor promoting environment and represents a major risk factor for tumor development This review will reflect our knowledge concerning the specific risk of hereditary pancreatitis patients to develop pancreatic cancer.

  2. Endoscopic ultrasound in the diagnosis and staging of pancreatic cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Iglesias García

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is the 5th leading cause of cancer-related death in Western countries. The 5-year survival rate is approximately 4%, without significant changes over the last 50 years. This poor survival rate and bad prognosis are associated with the diagnosis of advanced-stage disease, which precludes the only potential curative treatment - surgical resection. In this setting, the main objective in the management of pancreatic cancer is to perform an early diagnosis and a correct staging of the disease. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS appears to be an essential tool for the diagnosis and staging of pancreatic cancer. EUS diagnostic accuracy for detecting pancreatic tumors ranges from 85 to 100%, clearly superior to other imaging techniques. EUS accuracy for the local staging of pancreatic cancer ranges from 70 to 90%, superior or equivalent to other imaging modalities. EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration allows a cyto-histological diagnosis in nearly 90% of cases, with a very low complication rate. At present, the formal indications for EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration are the necessity of palliative treatment or whenever the possibility of neoadjuvant treatment is present. It could be also indicated to differentiate pancreatic adenocarcinoma from other pancreatic conditions, like lymphoma, metastasis, autoimmune pancreatitis or chronic pancreatitis. We can conclude that EUS is an essential tool in the management of patients with pancreatic tumors.

  3. Endoscopic ultrasound in the diagnosis and staging of pancreatic cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    J. Iglesias García

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is the 5th leading cause of cancer-related death in Western countries. The 5-year survival rate is approximately 4%, without significant changes over the last 50 years. This poor survival rate and bad prognosis are associated with the diagnosis of advanced-stage disease, which precludes the only potential curative treatment - surgical resection. In this setting, the main objective in the management of pancreatic cancer is to perform an early diagnosis and a correct staging of the disease. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS appears to be an essential tool for the diagnosis and staging of pancreatic cancer. EUS diagnostic accuracy for detecting pancreatic tumors ranges from 85 to 100%, clearly superior to other imaging techniques. EUS accuracy for the local staging of pancreatic cancer ranges from 70 to 90%, superior or equivalent to other imaging modalities. EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration allows a cyto-histological diagnosis in nearly 90% of cases, with a very low complication rate. At present, the formal indications for EUS-guided fine-needle aspiration are the necessity of palliative treatment or whenever the possibility of neoadjuvant treatment is present. It could be also indicated to differentiate pancreatic adenocarcinoma from other pancreatic conditions, like lymphoma, metastasis, autoimmune pancreatitis or chronic pancreatitis. We can conclude that EUS is an essential tool in the management of patients with pancreatic tumors.

  4. Targeting Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor-Related Signaling Pathways in Pancreatic Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Philip, Philip A; Lutz, Manfred P

    2015-10-01

    Pancreatic cancer is aggressive, chemoresistant, and characterized by complex and poorly understood molecular biology. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathway is frequently activated in pancreatic cancer; therefore, it is a rational target for new treatments. However, the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor erlotinib is currently the only targeted therapy to demonstrate a very modest survival benefit when added to gemcitabine in the treatment of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. There is no molecular biomarker to predict the outcome of erlotinib treatment, although rash may be predictive of improved survival; EGFR expression does not predict the biologic activity of anti-EGFR drugs in pancreatic cancer, and no EGFR mutations are identified as enabling the selection of patients likely to benefit from treatment. Here, we review clinical studies of EGFR-targeted therapies in combination with conventional cytotoxic regimens or multitargeted strategies in advanced pancreatic cancer, as well as research directed at molecules downstream of EGFR as alternatives or adjuncts to receptor targeting. Limitations of preclinical models, patient selection, and trial design, as well as the complex mechanisms underlying resistance to EGFR-targeted agents, are discussed. Future clinical trials must incorporate translational research end points to aid patient selection and circumvent resistance to EGFR inhibitors.

  5. A pilot study of the experience of family caregivers of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer using a mixed methods approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sherman, Deborah W; McGuire, Deborah B; Free, David; Cheon, Joo Young

    2014-09-01

    Pancreatic cancer presents a wide spectrum of significant symptomatology. The high symptom burden, coupled with a rapidly fatal diagnosis, limits preparation or time for adjustment for both patients and their family caregivers. From the initial diagnosis and throughout the illness experience, the physical and emotional demands of caregiving can predispose caregivers themselves to illness and a greater risk of mortality. Understanding the negative and positive aspects of caregiving for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer will inform interventions that promote positive caregiver outcomes and support caregivers in their role. To provide feasibility data for a larger, mixed methods, longitudinal study focused on the experience of family caregivers of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer and preliminary qualitative data to substantiate the significance of studying this caregiver population. This was a mixed methods study guided by the Stress Process Model. Eight family caregivers of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer from oncology practices of a university-affiliated medical center were surveyed. The pilot results supported the ability to recruit and retain participants and informed recruitment and data collection procedures. The qualitative results provided preliminary insights into caregiver experiences during the diagnosis and treatment phases. Key findings that substantiated the significance of studying these caregivers included the caregiving context of the history of sentinel symptoms, the crisis of diagnosis, the violation of assumptions about life and health, recognition of the circle of association, and contextual factors, as well as primary and secondary stressors, coping strategies, resources, discoveries, gains and growth, associated changes/transitions, and unmet caregiver needs. Findings indicated caregivers' willingness to participate in research, highlighted the negative and positive aspects of the caregiver experience, and reinforced the

  6. Effect of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU combined with radiotherapy on tumor malignancy in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer and evaluation of side effects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jing Li

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To study the effect of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU combined with radiotherapy on tumor malignancy in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer and the corresponding side effects. Methods: A total of 84 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer treated in our hospital between May 2013 and March 2016 were selected and randomly divided into HIFU group and IGRT group, HIFU group accepted high-intensity focused ultrasound combined with radiotherapy and IGRT group received radiotherapy alone. 4 weeks after treatment, the levels of tumor markers, liver and kidney function indexes, perineural invasionrelated molecules and cytokines in serum as well as the levels of immune cells in peripheral blood were determined. Results: 4 weeks after treatment, serum CA199, CA242, OPN, NGAL, RBP4, NGF, TrkA, p75, BDNF and TrkB levels of HIFU group were significantly lower than those of IGRT group, serum IL-2, TNF-毩, IFN-γ and IL-13 levels as well as peripheral blood NKT cell and CD4+T cell levels were significantly higher than those of IGRT group, and serum ALT, AST, Cr and BUN levels were not significantly different from those of IGRT group. Conclusion: HIFU combined with radiotherapy treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer can more effectively kill cancer cells, inhibit pancreatic cancer cell invasion to the peripheral nerve and enhance the antitumor immune response mediated by NKT cells and CD4+T cells.

  7. Risk of Pancreatic Cancer After a Primary Episode of Acute Pancreatitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rijkers, Anton P; Bakker, Olaf J; Ahmed Ali, Usama; Hagenaars, Julia C J P; van Santvoort, Hjalmar C; Besselink, Marc G; Bollen, Thomas L; van Eijck, Casper H

    2017-09-01

    Acute pancreatitis may be the first manifestation of pancreatic cancer. The aim of this study was to assess the risk of pancreatic cancer after a first episode of acute pancreatitis. Between March 2004 and March 2007, all consecutive patients with a first episode of acute pancreatitis were prospectively registered. Follow-up was based on hospital records audit, radiological imaging, and patient questionnaires. Outcome was stratified based on the development of chronic pancreatitis. We included 731 patients. The median follow-up time was 55 months. Progression to chronic pancreatitis was diagnosed in 51 patients (7.0%). In this group, the incidence rate per 1000 person-years for developing pancreatic cancer was 9.0 (95% confidence interval, 2.3-35.7). In the group of 680 patients who did not develop chronic pancreatitis, the incidence rate per 1000 person-years for developing pancreatic cancer in this group was 1.1 (95% confidence interval, 0.3-3.3). Hence, the rate ratio of pancreatic cancer was almost 9 times higher in patients who developed chronic pancreatitis compared with those who did not (P = 0.049). Although a first episode of acute pancreatitis may be related to pancreatic cancer, this risk is mainly present in patients who progress to chronic pancreatitis.

  8. Pancreatic cancer stromal biology and therapy

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xie, Dacheng; Xie, Keping

    2015-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal malignancies. Significant progresses have been made in understanding of pancreatic cancer pathogenesis, including appreciation of precursor lesions or premalignant pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanINs), description of sequential transformation from normal pancreatic tissue to invasive pancreatic cancer and identification of major genetic and epigenetic events and the biological impact of those events on malignant behavior. However, the currently used therapeutic strategies targeting tumor epithelial cells, which are potent in cell culture and animal models, have not been successful in the clinic. Presumably, therapeutic resistance of pancreatic cancer is at least in part due to its drastic desmoplasis, which is a defining hallmark for and circumstantially contributes to pancreatic cancer development and progression. Improved understanding of the dynamic interaction between cancer cells and the stroma is important to better understanding pancreatic cancer biology and to designing effective intervention strategies. This review focuses on the origination, evolution and disruption of stromal molecular and cellular components in pancreatic cancer, and their biological effects on pancreatic cancer pathogenesis. PMID:26114155

  9. Molecular Mechanism Underlying Lymphatic Metastasis in Pancreatic Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhiwen Xiao

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available As the most challenging human malignancies, pancreatic cancer is characterized by its insidious symptoms, low rate of surgical resection, high risk of local invasion, metastasis and recurrence, and overall dismal prognosis. Lymphatic metastasis, above all, is recognized as an early adverse event in progression of pancreatic cancer and has been described to be an independent poor prognostic factor. It should be noted that the occurrence of lymphatic metastasis is not a casual or stochastic but an ineluctable and designed event. Increasing evidences suggest that metastasis-initiating cells (MICs and the microenvironments may act as a double-reed style in this crime. However, the exact mechanisms on how they function synergistically for this dismal clinical course remain largely elusive. Therefore, a better understanding of its molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in pancreatic lymphatic metastasis is urgently required. In this review, we will summarize the latest advances on lymphatic metastasis in pancreatic cancer.

  10. The role of intraoperative radiation therapy in patients with pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palta, Manisha; Willett, Christopher; Czito, Brian

    2014-04-01

    Intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) techniques allow for the delivery of high doses of radiation therapy while excluding part or all of the nearby dose-limiting sensitive structures. Therefore, the effective radiation dose is increased and local tumor control potentially improved. This is pertinent in the case of pancreatic cancer because local failure rates are as high as 50%-80% in patients with resected and locally advanced disease. Available data in patients receiving IORT after pancreaticoduodenectomy reveal an improvement in local control, though overall survival benefit is unclear. Series of patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer also suggest pain relief, and in select studies, improved survival associated with the inclusion of IORT. At present, no phase III data clearly supports the use of IORT in the management of pancreatic cancer. © 2013 Published by Elsevier Inc.

  11. Chronic Pancreatitis and Pancreatic Cancer Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kirkegård, Jakob; Mortensen, Frank Viborg; Cronin-Fenton, Deirdre

    2017-09-01

    Chronic pancreatitis is a putative risk factor for pancreatic cancer. The aim of this study was to examine the magnitude and temporality of this association. We searched MEDLINE and EMBASE for observational studies investigating the association between chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. We computed overall effect estimates (EEs) with associated 95% confidence intervals (CIs) using a random-effects meta-analytic model. The EEs were stratified by length of follow-up from chronic pancreatitis diagnosis to pancreatic cancer (lag period). Robustness of the results was examined in sensitivity analyses. We identified 13 eligible studies. Pooled EEs for pancreatic cancer in patients with chronic pancreatitis were 16.16 (95% CI: 12.59-20.73) for patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer within 2 years from their chronic pancreatitis diagnosis. The risk of pancreatic cancer in patients with chronic pancreatitis decreased when the lag period was increased to 5 years (EE: 7.90; 95% CI: 4.26-14.66) or a minimum of 9 years (EE: 3.53; 95% CI: 1.69-7.38). In conclusion, chronic pancreatitis increases the risk of pancreatic cancer, but the association diminishes with long-term follow-up. Five years after diagnosis, chronic pancreatitis patients have a nearly eight-fold increased risk of pancreatic cancer. We suggest that common practice on inducing a 2-year lag period in these studies may not be sufficient. We also recommend a close follow-up in the first years following a diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis to avoid overlooking a pancreatic cancer.

  12. Hypermutation In Pancreatic Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Humphris, Jeremy L; Patch, Ann-Marie; Nones, Katia; Bailey, Peter J; Johns, Amber L; McKay, Skye; Chang, David K; Miller, David K; Pajic, Marina; Kassahn, Karin S; Quinn, Michael C J; Bruxner, Timothy J C; Christ, Angelika N; Harliwong, Ivon; Idrisoglu, Senel; Manning, Suzanne; Nourse, Craig; Nourbakhsh, Ehsan; Stone, Andrew; Wilson, Peter J; Anderson, Matthew; Fink, J Lynn; Holmes, Oliver; Kazakoff, Stephen; Leonard, Conrad; Newell, Felicity; Waddell, Nick; Wood, Scott; Mead, Ronald S; Xu, Qinying; Wu, Jianmin; Pinese, Mark; Cowley, Mark J; Jones, Marc D; Nagrial, Adnan M; Chin, Venessa T; Chantrill, Lorraine A; Mawson, Amanda; Chou, Angela; Scarlett, Christopher J; Pinho, Andreia V; Rooman, Ilse; Giry-Laterriere, Marc; Samra, Jaswinder S; Kench, James G; Merrett, Neil D; Toon, Christopher W; Epari, Krishna; Nguyen, Nam Q; Barbour, Andrew; Zeps, Nikolajs; Jamieson, Nigel B; McKay, Colin J; Carter, C Ross; Dickson, Euan J; Graham, Janet S; Duthie, Fraser; Oien, Karin; Hair, Jane; Morton, Jennifer P; Sansom, Owen J; Grützmann, Robert; Hruban, Ralph H; Maitra, Anirban; Iacobuzio-Donahue, Christine A; Schulick, Richard D; Wolfgang, Christopher L; Morgan, Richard A; Lawlor, Rita T; Rusev, Borislav; Corbo, Vincenzo; Salvia, Roberto; Cataldo, Ivana; Tortora, Giampaolo; Tempero, Margaret A; Hofmann, Oliver; Eshleman, James R; Pilarsky, Christian; Scarpa, Aldo; Musgrove, Elizabeth A; Gill, Anthony J; Pearson, John V; Grimmond, Sean M; Waddell, Nicola; Biankin, Andrew V

    2017-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is molecularly diverse, with few effective therapies. Increased mutation burden and defective DNA repair are associated with response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in several other cancer types. We interrogated 385 pancreatic cancer genomes to define hypermutation and its causes. Mutational signatures inferring defects in DNA repair were enriched in those with the highest mutation burdens. Mismatch repair deficiency was identified in 1% of tumors harboring different mechanisms of somatic inactivation of MLH1 and MSH2. Defining mutation load in individual pancreatic cancers and the optimal assay for patient selection may inform clinical trial design for immunotherapy in pancreatic cancer. Copyright © 2017 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  13. CXCL12 chemokine expression suppresses human pancreatic cancer growth and metastasis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ishan Roy

    Full Text Available Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is an unsolved health problem with nearly 75% of patients diagnosed with advanced disease and an overall 5-year survival rate near 5%. Despite the strong link between mortality and malignancy, the mechanisms behind pancreatic cancer dissemination and metastasis are poorly understood. Correlative pathological and cell culture analyses suggest the chemokine receptor CXCR4 plays a biological role in pancreatic cancer progression. In vivo roles for the CXCR4 ligand CXCL12 in pancreatic cancer malignancy were investigated. CXCR4 and CXCR7 were consistently expressed in normal and cancerous pancreatic ductal epithelium, established cell lines, and patient-derived primary cancer cells. Relative to healthy exocrine ducts, CXCL12 expression was pathologically repressed in pancreatic cancer tissue specimens and patient-derived cell lines. To test the functional consequences of CXCL12 silencing, pancreatic cancer cell lines stably expressingthe chemokine were engineered. Consistent with a role for CXCL12 as a tumor suppressor, cells producing the chemokine wereincreasingly adherent and migration deficient in vitro and poorly metastatic in vivo, compared to control cells. Further, CXCL12 reintroduction significantly reduced tumor growth in vitro, with significantly smaller tumors in vivo, leading to a pronounced survival advantage in a preclinical model. Together, these data demonstrate a functional tumor suppressive role for the normal expression of CXCL12 in pancreatic ducts, regulating both tumor growth andcellulardissemination to metastatic sites.

  14. Pancreatic cancer accompanied by a moderate-sized pseudocyst with extrapancreatic growth

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ohkura, Yu; Sasaki, Kazunari; Matsuda, Masamichi; Hashimoto, Masaji; Fujii, Takeshi; Watanabe, Goro

    2015-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer accompanied by a moderate-sized pseudocyst with extrapancreatic growth is extremely rare. Diagnosis of pancreatic cancer on preoperative imaging is difficult when the pancreatic parenchyma is compressed by a pseudocyst and becomes unclear. Despite advances in imaging techniques, accurate preoperative diagnosis of cystic lesions of the pancreas remains difficult. In this case, it was challenging to diagnose pancreatic cancer preoperatively as we could not accurately assess the pancreatic parenchyma, which had been compressed by a moderate-sized cystic lesion with extrapancreatic growth. A 63-year-old woman underwent investigations for epigastric abdominal pain. She had no history of pancreatitis. Although we suspected pancreatic ductal carcinoma with a pancreatic cyst, there was no mass lesion or low-density area suggestive of pancreatic cancer. We did not immediately suspect pancreatic cancer, as development of a moderate-sized cyst with extrapancreatic growth is extremely rare and known tumor markers were not elevated. Therefore, we initially suspected that a massive benign cyst (mucinous cyst neoplasm, serous cyst neoplasm, or intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm) resulted in stenosis of the main pancreatic duct. We were unable to reach a definitive diagnosis prior to the operation. We had planned a pancreaticoduodenectomy to reach a definitive diagnosis. However, we could not remove the tumor because of significant invasion of the surrounding tissue (portal vein, superior mesenteric vein, etc.). The fluid content of the cyst was serous, and aspiration cytology from the pancreatic cyst was Class III (no malignancy), but the surrounding white connective tissue samples were positive for pancreatic adenocarcinoma on pathological examination during surgery. We repeated imaging (CT, MRI, endoscopic ultrasound, etc.) postoperatively, but there were neither mass lesions nor a low-density area suggestive of pancreatic cancer. In retrospect, we think

  15. Cancer of the Pancreas: Molecular Pathways and Current Advancement in Treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Polireddy, Kishore; Chen, Qi

    2016-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal cancers among all malignances, with a median overall survival of cancers harbor a variety of genetic alternations that render it difficult to treat even with targeted therapy. Recent studies revealed that pancreatic cancers are highly enriched with a cancer stem cell (CSC) population, which is resistant to chemotherapeutic drugs, and therefore escapes chemotherapy and promotes tumor recurrence. Cancer cell epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is highly associated with metastasis, generation of CSCs, and treatment resistance in pancreatic cancer. Reviewed here are the molecular biology of pancreatic cancer, the major signaling pathways regulating pancreatic cancer EMT and CSCs, and the advancement in current clinical and experimental treatments for pancreatic cancer.

  16. Current knowledge on pancreatic cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Juan eIovanna

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death with a median survival of 6 months and a dismal 5-year survival rate of 3-5%. The development and progression of pancreatic cancer are caused by the activation of oncogenes, the inactivation of tumor suppressor genes and the deregulation of many signalling pathways. Therefore, the strategies targeting these molecules as well as their downstream signalling could be promising for the prevention and treatment of pancreatic cancer. However, although targeted therapies for pancreatic cancer have yielded encouraging results in vitro and in animal models, these findings have not been translated into improved outcomes in clinical trials. This failure is due to an incomplete understanding of the biology of pancreatic cancer and to the selection of poorly efficient or imperfectly targeted agents. In this review, we will critically present the current knowledge regarding the molecular, biochemical, clinical and therapeutic aspects of pancreatic cancer.

  17. Current Knowledge on Pancreatic Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iovanna, Juan; Mallmann, Maria Cecilia; Gonçalves, Anthony; Turrini, Olivier; Dagorn, Jean-Charles

    2012-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death with a median survival of 6 months and a dismal 5-year survival rate of 3–5%. The development and progression of pancreatic cancer are caused by the activation of oncogenes, the inactivation of tumor suppressor genes, and the deregulation of many signaling pathways. Therefore, the strategies targeting these molecules as well as their downstream signaling could be promising for the prevention and treatment of pancreatic cancer. However, although targeted therapies for pancreatic cancer have yielded encouraging results in vitro and in animal models, these findings have not been translated into improved outcomes in clinical trials. This failure is due to an incomplete understanding of the biology of pancreatic cancer and to the selection of poorly efficient or imperfectly targeted agents. In this review, we will critically present the current knowledge regarding the molecular, biochemical, clinical, and therapeutic aspects of pancreatic cancer.

  18. Current Knowledge on Pancreatic Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Iovanna, Juan [INSERM U624, Stress Cellulaire, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, Marseille (France); Mallmann, Maria Cecilia [Centre d’Investigation Clinique de Marseille, Marseille (France); Gonçalves, Anthony [Département d’Oncologie Médicale, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Marseille (France); Turrini, Olivier [Département de Chirurgie Oncologique, Institut Paoli-Calmettes, Marseille (France); Dagorn, Jean-Charles, E-mail: juan.iovanna@inserm.fr [INSERM U624, Stress Cellulaire, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, Marseille (France)

    2012-01-31

    Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death with a median survival of 6 months and a dismal 5-year survival rate of 3–5%. The development and progression of pancreatic cancer are caused by the activation of oncogenes, the inactivation of tumor suppressor genes, and the deregulation of many signaling pathways. Therefore, the strategies targeting these molecules as well as their downstream signaling could be promising for the prevention and treatment of pancreatic cancer. However, although targeted therapies for pancreatic cancer have yielded encouraging results in vitro and in animal models, these findings have not been translated into improved outcomes in clinical trials. This failure is due to an incomplete understanding of the biology of pancreatic cancer and to the selection of poorly efficient or imperfectly targeted agents. In this review, we will critically present the current knowledge regarding the molecular, biochemical, clinical, and therapeutic aspects of pancreatic cancer.

  19. Family history of cancer and risk of Pancreatic Cancer: A Pooled Analysis from the Pancreatic Cancer Cohort Consortium (PanScan)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jacobs, Eric J.; Chanock, Stephen J.; Fuchs, Charles S.; LaCroix, Andrea; McWilliams, Robert R.; Steplowski, Emily; Stolzenberg-Solomon, Rachael Z.; Arslan, Alan A.; Bueno-de-Mesquita, H. Bas; Gross, Myron; Helzlsouer, Kathy; Petersen, Gloria; Zheng, Wei; Agalliu, Ilir; Allen, Naomi E.; Amundadottir, Laufey; Boutron-Ruault, Marie-Christine; Buring, Julie E.; Canzian, Federico; Clipp, Sandra; Dorronsoro, Miren; Gaziano, J. Michael; Giovannucci, Edward L.; Hankinson, Susan E.; Hartge, Patricia; Hoover, Robert N.; Hunter, David J.; Jacobs, Kevin B.; Jenab, Mazda; Kraft, Peter; Kooperberg, Charles; Lynch, Shannon M.; Sund, Malin; Mendelsohn, Julie B.; Mouw, Tracy; Newton, Christina C.; Overvad, Kim; Palli, Domenico; Peeters, Petra H.M.; Rajkovic, Aleksandar; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Thomas, Gilles; Tobias, Geoffrey S.; Trichopoulos, Dimitrios; Virtamo, Jarmo; Wactawski-Wende, Jean; Wolpin, Brian M.; Yu, Kai; Zeleniuch-Jacquotte, Anne

    2010-01-01

    A family history of pancreatic cancer has consistently been associated with increased risk of pancreatic cancer. However, uncertainty remains about the strength of this association. Results from previous studies suggest a family history of select cancers (i.e. ovarian, breast, and colorectal) could also be associated, although not as strongly, with increased risk of pancreatic cancer. We examined the association between a family history of five types of cancer (pancreas, prostate, ovarian, breast, and colorectal) and risk of pancreatic cancer using data from a collaborative nested case-control study conducted by the Pancreatic Cancer Cohort Consortium. Cases and controls were from cohort studies from the United States, Europe, and China, and a case-control study from the Mayo Clinic. Analyses of family history of pancreatic cancer included 1,183 cases and 1,205 controls. A family history of pancreatic cancer in a parent, sibling, or child was associated with increased risk of pancreatic cancer (multivariate-adjusted OR = 1.76, 95% CI 1.19–2.61). A family history of prostate cancer was also associated with increased risk (OR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.12–1.89). There were no statistically significant associations with a family history of ovarian cancer (OR = 0.82, 95% CI 0.52–1.31), breast cancer (OR = 1.21, 95% CI 0.97–1.51), or colorectal cancer (OR = 1.17, 95% CI 0.93–1.47). Our results confirm a moderate sized association between a family history of pancreatic cancer and risk of pancreatic cancer and also provide evidence for an association with a family history of prostate cancer worth further study. PMID:20049842

  20. A formulation of pancreatic pro-enzymes provides potent anti-tumour efficacy: a pilot study focused on pancreatic and ovarian cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Perán, Macarena; López-Ruiz, Elena; García, María Ángel; Nadaraia-Hoke, Shorena; Brandt, Ralf; Marchal, Juan A; Kenyon, Julian

    2017-10-25

    Proteolytic enzymes have shown efficacy in cancer therapy. We present a combination of the two pro-enzymes Trypsinogen and Chymotrypsinogen A with potent in vitro and in vivo anti-tumour efficacy. A synergetic anti-tumour effect for Trypsinogen and Chymotrypsinogen A was determined at a ratio 1:6 (named PRP) using 24 human cancer cell lines. The antiangiogenic effect of PRP was analysed by matrigel-based tube formation and by fibrous capsule formation assays. Furthermore, cell invasion and wound healing assays together with qRT-PCR determination of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers were performed on human cancer cells treated with PRP. Additionally, in vivo pharmacokinetic studies were implemented and the PRP's anti-tumour efficacy was explored against orthotopic pancreatic and ovarian cancer tumours. PRP formulation was proven to inhibit in vitro angiogenesis, tumour growth, cancer cell migration and invasiveness; and to be an effective and well tolerated in vivo anti-tumour treatment. Finally, the clinical efficacy of a suppository formulation containing both pancreatic pro-enzymes in the context of a UK Pharmaceuticals Special Scheme was evaluated in advanced cancer patients. Consequently, PRP could have relevant oncological clinical applications for the treatment of advanced or metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma and advanced epithelial ovarian cancer.

  1. Pancreatic stellate cells enhance stem cell-like phenotypes in pancreatic cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hamada, Shin; Masamune, Atsushi; Takikawa, Tetsuya; Suzuki, Noriaki; Kikuta, Kazuhiro; Hirota, Morihisa; Hamada, Hirofumi; Kobune, Masayoshi; Satoh, Kennichi; Shimosegawa, Tooru

    2012-01-01

    Highlights: ► Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) promote the progression of pancreatic cancer. ► Pancreatic cancer cells co-cultured with PSCs showed enhanced spheroid formation. ► Expression of stem cell-related genes ABCG2, Nestin and LIN28 was increased. ► Co-injection of PSCs enhanced tumorigenicity of pancreatic cancer cells in vivo. ► This study suggested a novel role of PSCs as a part of the cancer stem cell niche. -- Abstract: The interaction between pancreatic cancer cells and pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs), a major profibrogenic cell type in the pancreas, is receiving increasing attention. There is accumulating evidence that PSCs promote the progression of pancreatic cancer by increasing cancer cell proliferation and invasion as well as by protecting them from radiation- and gemcitabine-induced apoptosis. Recent studies have identified that a portion of cancer cells, called “cancer stem cells”, within the entire cancer tissue harbor highly tumorigenic and chemo-resistant phenotypes, which lead to the recurrence after surgery or re-growth of the tumor. The mechanisms that maintain the “stemness” of these cells remain largely unknown. We hypothesized that PSCs might enhance the cancer stem cell-like phenotypes in pancreatic cancer cells. Indirect co-culture of pancreatic cancer cells with PSCs enhanced the spheroid-forming ability of cancer cells and induced the expression of cancer stem cell-related genes ABCG2, Nestin and LIN28. In addition, co-injection of PSCs enhanced tumorigenicity of pancreatic cancer cells in vivo. These results suggested a novel role of PSCs as a part of the cancer stem cell niche.

  2. Incidence of pancreatic cancer in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Weble, Tanja Cruusberg; Bjerregaard, Jon Kroll; Kissmeyer, Peter

    2017-01-01

    BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to monitor the evolution of the incidence of pancreatic cancer in Denmark over 70 years. We also compared registrations of pancreatic cancer in a nationwide population-based database, the Danish Cancer Registry, and a clinical database, the Danish Pancreatic...... Cancer Database, in 2012-2013. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Registrations of pancreatic cancer from the Danish Cancer Registry over 1943-2012 were used to calculate age-specific incidence rates per 100 000 person years by sex and age in 5-year period, weighted by the Segi World Standard Population for age...... standardization. We used absolute numbers from the Cancer Registry and the Pancreatic Cancer Database, including distribution of topography of cancers registered in 2012-2013, to compare registration in the two data sources. RESULTS: The incidence rates of pancreatic cancer among Danish men increased until 1968...

  3. Diet and Pancreatic Cancer Prevention

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ilaria Casari

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is without any doubt the malignancy with the poorest prognosis and the lowest survival rate. This highly aggressive disease is rarely diagnosed at an early stage and difficult to treat due to its resistance to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Therefore, there is an urgent need to clarify the causes responsible for pancreatic cancer and to identify preventive strategies to reduce its incidence in the population. Some circumstances, such as smoking habits, being overweight and diabetes, have been identified as potentially predisposing factors to pancreatic cancer, suggesting that diet might play a role. A diet low in fat and sugars, together with a healthy lifestyle, regular exercise, weight reduction and not smoking, may contribute to prevent pancreatic cancer and many other cancer types. In addition, increasing evidence suggests that some food may have chemo preventive properties. Indeed, a high dietary intake of fresh fruit and vegetables has been shown to reduce the risk of developing pancreatic cancer, and recent epidemiological studies have associated nut consumption with a protective effect against it. Therefore, diet could have an impact on the development of pancreatic cancer and further investigations are needed to assess the potential chemo preventive role of specific foods against this disease. This review summarizes the key evidence for the role of dietary habits and their effect on pancreatic cancer and focuses on possible mechanisms for the association between diet and risk of pancreatic cancer.

  4. Carbon Ion Radiation Therapy With Concurrent Gemcitabine for Patients With Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Shinoto, Makoto, E-mail: shinoto@saga-himat.jp [Hospital of Research Center for Charged Particle Therapy, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba (Japan); Ion Beam Therapy Center, SAGA HIMAT Foundation, Tosu (Japan); Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka (Japan); Yamada, Shigeru [Hospital of Research Center for Charged Particle Therapy, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba (Japan); Terashima, Kotaro [Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka (Japan); Yasuda, Shigeo [Hospital of Research Center for Charged Particle Therapy, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba (Japan); Shioyama, Yoshiyuki [Ion Beam Therapy Center, SAGA HIMAT Foundation, Tosu (Japan); Honda, Hiroshi [Department of Clinical Radiology, Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka (Japan); Kamada, Tadashi; Tsujii, Hirohiko [Hospital of Research Center for Charged Particle Therapy, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, Chiba (Japan); Saisho, Hiromitsu [Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Oncology, Kaken Hospital, Chemotherapy Research Institute, Chiba (Japan); Asano, Takehide; Yamaguchi, Taketo; Amano, Hodaka; Ishihara, Takeshi; Otsuka, Masayuki; Matsuda, Masamichi; Kainuma, Osamu; Funakoshi, Akihiro; Furuse, Junji; Nakagori, Toshio; Okusaka, Takuji; and others

    2016-05-01

    Purpose: To determine, in the setting of locally advanced pancreatic cancer, the maximum tolerated dose of carbon ion radiation therapy (C-ion RT) and gemcitabine dose delivered concurrently and to estimate local effect and survival. Methods and Materials: Eligibility included pathologic confirmation of pancreatic invasive ductal carcinomas and radiographically unresectable disease without metastasis. Concurrent gemcitabine was administered on days 1, 8, and 15, and the dose levels were escalated from 400 to 1000 mg/m{sup 2} under the starting dose level (43.2 GyE) of C-ion RT. The dose levels of C-ion RT were escalated from 43.2 to 55.2 GyE at 12 fractions under the fixed recommended gemcitabine dose determined. Results: Seventy-six patients were enrolled. Among the 72 treated patients, dose-limiting toxicity was observed in 3 patients: grade 3 infection in 1 patient and grade 4 neutropenia in 2 patients. Only 1 patient experienced a late grade 3 gastric ulcer and bleeding 10 months after C-ion RT. The recommended dose of gemcitabine with C-ion RT was found to be 1000 mg/m{sup 2}. The dose of C-ion RT with the full dose of gemcitabine (1000 mg/m{sup 2}) was safely increased to 55.2 GyE. The freedom from local progression rate was 83% at 2 years using the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors. The 2-year overall survival rates in all patients and in the high-dose group with stage III (≥45.6 GyE) were 35% and 48%, respectively. Conclusions: Carbon ion RT with concurrent full-dose gemcitabine was well tolerated and effective in patients with unresectable locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

  5. Design of a nanoplatform for treating pancreatic cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Manawadu, Harshi Chathurangi

    Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the USA. Asymptomatic early cancer stages and late diagnosis leads to very low survival rates of pancreatic cancers, compared to other cancers. Treatment options for advanced pancreatic cancer are limited to chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy, as surgical removal of the cancerous tissue becomes impossible at later stages. Therefore, there's a critical need for innovative and improved chemotherapeutic treatment of (late) pancreatic cancers. It is mandatory for successful treatment strategies to overcome the drug resistance associated with pancreatic cancers. Nanotechnology based drug formulations have been providing promising alternatives in cancer treatment due to their selective targeting and accumulation in tumor vasculature, which can be used for efficient delivery of chemotherapeutic agents to tumors and metastases. The research of my thesis is following the principle approach to high therapeutic efficacy that has been first described by Dr. Helmut Ringsdorf in 1975. However, I have extended the use of the Ringsdorf model from polymeric to nanoparticle-based drug carriers by exploring an iron / iron oxide nanoparticle based drug delivery system. A series of drug delivery systems have been synthesized by varying the total numbers and the ratio of the tumor homing peptide sequence CGKRK and the chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin at the surfaces of Fe/Fe3O 4-nanoparticles. The cytotoxicity of these nanoformulations was tested against murine pancreatic cancer cell lines (Pan02) to assess their therapeutic capabilities for effective treatments of pancreatic cancers. Healthy mouse fibroblast cells (STO) were also tested for comparison, because an effective chemotherapeutic drug has to be selective towards cancer cells. Optimal Experimental Design methodology was applied to identify the nanoformulation with the highest therapeutic activity. A statistical analysis method known as response

  6. Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy for Locally Advanced and Borderline Resectable Pancreatic Cancer Is Effective and Well Tolerated

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chuong, Michael D. [Department of Radiation Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida (United States); Springett, Gregory M. [Gastrointestinal Tumor Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida (United States); Freilich, Jessica M.; Park, Catherine K. [Department of Radiation Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida (United States); Weber, Jill M. [Gastrointestinal Tumor Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida (United States); Mellon, Eric A. [Department of Radiation Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida (United States); Hodul, Pamela J.; Malafa, Mokenge P.; Meredith, Kenneth L. [Gastrointestinal Tumor Program, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida (United States); Hoffe, Sarah E. [Department of Radiation Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida (United States); Shridhar, Ravi, E-mail: ravi.shridhar@moffitt.org [Department of Radiation Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida (United States)

    2013-07-01

    Purpose: Stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) provides high rates of local control (LC) and margin-negative (R0) resections for locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) and borderline resectable pancreatic cancer (BRPC), respectively, with minimal toxicity. Methods and Materials: A single-institution retrospective review was performed for patients with nonmetastatic pancreatic cancer treated with induction chemotherapy followed by SBRT. SBRT was delivered over 5 consecutive fractions using a dose painting technique including 7-10 Gy/fraction to the region of vessel abutment or encasement and 5-6 Gy/fraction to the remainder of the tumor. Restaging scans were performed at 4 weeks, and resectable patients were considered for resection. The primary endpoints were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Results: Seventy-three patients were evaluated, with a median follow-up time of 10.5 months. Median doses of 35 Gy and 25 Gy were delivered to the region of vessel involvement and the remainder of the tumor, respectively. Thirty-two BRPC patients (56.1%) underwent surgery, with 31 undergoing an R0 resection (96.9%). The median OS, 1-year OS, median PFS, and 1-year PFS for BRPC versus LAPC patients was 16.4 months versus 15 months, 72.2% versus 68.1%, 9.7 versus 9.8 months, and 42.8% versus 41%, respectively (all P>.10). BRPC patients who underwent R0 resection had improved median OS (19.3 vs 12.3 months; P=.03), 1-year OS (84.2% vs 58.3%; P=.03), and 1-year PFS (56.5% vs 25.0%; P<.0001), respectively, compared with all nonsurgical patients. The 1-year LC in nonsurgical patients was 81%. We did not observe acute grade ≥3 toxicity, and late grade ≥3 toxicity was minimal (5.3%). Conclusions: SBRT safely facilitates margin-negative resection in patients with BRPC pancreatic cancer while maintaining a high rate of LC in unresectable patients. These data support the expanded implementation of SBRT for pancreatic cancer.

  7. Environmental risk factors for chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nitsche, Claudia; Simon, Peter; Weiss, F Ulrich; Fluhr, Gabriele; Weber, Eckhard; Gärtner, Simone; Behn, Claas O; Kraft, Matthias; Ringel, Jörg; Aghdassi, Ali; Mayerle, Julia; Lerch, Markus M

    2011-01-01

    Chronic pancreatitis has long been thought to be mainly associated with immoderate alcohol consumption. The observation that only ∼10% of heavy drinkers develop chronic pancreatitis not only suggests that other environmental factors, such as tobacco smoke, are potent additional risk factors, but also that the genetic component of pancreatitis is more common than previously presumed. Either disease-causing or protective traits have been indentified for mutations in different trypsinogen genes, the gene for the trypsin inhibitor SPINK1, chymotrypsinogen C, and the cystic fibrosis transmembane conductance regulator (CFTR). Other factors that have been proposed to contribute to pancreatitis are obesity, diets high in animal protein and fat, as well as antioxidant deficiencies. For the development of pancreatic cancer, preexisting chronic pancreatitis, more prominently hereditary pancreatitis, is a risk factor. The data on environmental risk factors for pancreatic cancer are, with the notable exception of tobacco smoke, either sparse, unconfirmed or controversial. Obesity appears to increase the risk of pancreatic cancer in the West but not in Japan. Diets high in processed or red meat, diets low in fruits and vegetables, phytochemicals such as lycopene and flavonols, have been proposed and refuted as risk or protective factors in different trials. The best established and single most important risk factor for cancer as well as pancreatitis and the one to clearly avoid is tobacco smoke. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  8. Therapeutic Potential of Curcumin in Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer: Current Status and Future Perspectives.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hosseini, Mina; Hassanian, Seyed Mahdi; Mohammadzadeh, Elham; ShahidSales, Soodabeh; Maftouh, Mina; Fayazbakhsh, Hasan; Khazaei, Majid; Avan, Amir

    2017-07-01

    Pancreatic cancer is among the leading cause of deaths due to cancer with extremely poor prognosis. Gemcitabine is being used in the treatment of patient with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), although, the response rate is bellow 12%. A recent phase III trial revealed that FOLFIRINOX could be an option for the treatment of metastatic PDAC patients, although it is associated with increased toxicity. Therefore, identification of novel agents that either improves gemcitabine activity, within novel combinatorial approaches, or with a better efficacy than gemcitabine is warranted. The antitumor activity of curcumin in several tumors, including prostate, breast and colorectal cancers have investigated. A recent phase II trial explored the effects of curcumin in advanced pancreatic cancer patient. They found that oral curcumin was well tolerated. Another trial showed the activity of 8,000 mg of curcumin in combination with gemcitabine in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. This review summarizes the current knowledge about possible molecular mechanisms of curcumin in PDAC with particular emphasis on preclinical/clinical studies in pancreatic cancer treatment. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 1634-1638, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. Dendritic Cell/Cytokine-Induced Killer Cell Immunotherapy Combined with S-1 in Patients with Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: A Prospective Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jiang, Ni; Qiao, Guoliang; Wang, Xiaoli; Morse, Michael A; Gwin, William R; Zhou, Lei; Song, Yuguang; Zhao, Yanjie; Chen, Feng; Zhou, Xinna; Huang, Lefu; Hobeika, Amy; Yi, Xin; Xia, Xuefeng; Guan, Yanfang; Song, Jin; Ren, Jun; Lyerly, H Kim

    2017-09-01

    Purpose: Advanced pancreatic cancer has remained challenging to treat effectively. This study aimed to investigate the clinical effects and safety of immunotherapy with dendritic cells and cytokine-induced killer cells (DC-CIK) administered with the chemotherapy (CT) S-1 in this malignancy. Experimental Design: Consecutive patients ( n = 47) with advanced pancreatic cancer were treated with either DC-CIK + S-1, DC-CIK alone, S-1 alone, or best supportive care. Results: DC-CIK plus S-1 produced significantly longer median OS and PFS (212 and 136 days) compared with DC-CIK (128 and 85 days), CT (141 and 92 days), or supportive care only (52 and 43 days; P < 0.001). After adjusting for competing risk factors, DC-CIK combined with S-1 and receipt of 2 or more cycles of DC-CIK treatment remained independent predictors of disease-free and overall survival ( P < 0.05). Phenotypic analysis of PBMCs demonstrated that the CD3 + , CD3 + /CD4 + , and CD8 + /CD28 + T-cell subsets were elevated ( P < 0.05), while the CD3 + /CD8 + , CD3 + /CD16 + /CD56 + and CD4 + /CD25 + cell subsets were significantly decreased after DC-CIK cell therapy ( P < 0.05). There were no grade 3 or 4 toxicities. In addition, the mutational frequency in cell-free tumor DNA (cfDNA) declined in 4 of 14 patients who received DC-CIK, and was associated with a more favorable survival. Conclusions: Treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer with combined DC-CIK infusions and S-1 was safe, resulted in favorable PFS and OS, and modulated the peripheral blood immune repertoire. Clin Cancer Res; 23(17); 5066-73. ©2017 AACR . ©2017 American Association for Cancer Research.

  10. [Treatments for Pancreatic Cancer with Oligometastasis].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Furuse, Junji

    2017-10-01

    Pancreatic cancer, adenocarcinoma, generally rapidly progresses, and if a metastatic lesion is detected, chemotherapy is applied even in solitary metastasis. However, surgical resection for solitary metastasis have been reported to achieve long survival in some pancreatic cancer patients. In a prospective study of surgery for hepatic and lymph node oligometastasis of pancreatic cancer, long survival of 5 years or more was reported around 10%. Furthermore, longer survival and fewer rerecurrence were achieved with surgery in lung metastasis than in liver metastasis and loco-regional recurrence. Although there has been no establishment of concept or no consensus of treatment strategy for oligometastasis in pancreatic cancer, some patients with pancreatic cancer have long disease-free survival by surgery for oligometastasis. A population of pancreatic cancer patients who have benefits of surgery for oligometastasis should be identified, and it is necessary to establish treatments for oligometastasis as standard treatments in pancreatic cancer.

  11. Management of pancreatic cancer in the elderly.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Higuera, Oliver; Ghanem, Ismael; Nasimi, Rula; Prieto, Isabel; Koren, Laura; Feliu, Jaime

    2016-01-14

    Currently, pancreatic adenocarcinoma mainly occurs after 60 years of age, and its prognosis remains poor despite modest improvements in recent decades. The aging of the population will result in a rise in the incidence of pancreatic adenocarcinoma within the next years. Thus, the management of pancreatic cancer in the elderly population is gaining increasing relevance. Older cancer patients represent a heterogeneous group with different biological, functional and psychosocial characteristics that can modify the usual management of this disease, including pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic changes, polypharmacy, performance status, comorbidities and organ dysfunction. However, the biological age, not the chronological age, of the patient should be the limiting factor in determining the most appropriate treatment for these patients. Unfortunately, despite the increased incidence of this pathology in older patients, there is an underrepresentation of these patients in clinical trials, and the management of older patients is thus determined by extrapolation from the results of studies performed in younger patients. In this review, the special characteristics of the elderly, the multidisciplinary management of localized and advanced ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas and the most recent advances in the management of this condition will be discussed, focusing on surgery, chemotherapy, radiation and palliative care.

  12. The Key Genes of Chronic Pancreatitis which Bridge Chronic Pancreatitis and Pancreatic Cancer Can be Therapeutic Targets.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Shuang; Li, Rui; Wang, Heping; Li, Lisha; Li, Huiyu; Li, Yulin

    2018-04-01

    An important question in systems biology is what role the underlying molecular mechanisms play in disease progression. The relationship between chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer needs further exploration in a system view. We constructed the disease network based on gene expression data and protein-protein interaction. We proposed an approach to discover the underlying core network and molecular factors in the progression of pancreatic diseases, which contain stages of chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. The chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer core network and key factors were revealed and then verified by gene set enrichment analysis of pathways and diseases. The key factors provide the microenvironment for tumor initiation and the change of gene expression level of key factors bridge chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. Some new candidate genes need further verification by experiments. Transcriptome profiling-based network analysis reveals the importance of chronic pancreatitis genes and pathways in pancreatic cancer development on a system level by computational method and they can be therapeutic targets.

  13. Basal metabolic state governs AIF-dependent growth support in pancreatic cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scott, Andrew J.; Wilkinson, Amanda S.; Wilkinson, John C.

    2016-01-01

    Apoptosis-inducing factor (AIF), named for its involvement in cell death pathways, is a mitochondrial protein that regulates metabolic homeostasis. In addition to supporting the survival of healthy cells, AIF also plays a contributory role to the development of cancer through its enzymatic activity, and we have previously shown that AIF preferentially supports advanced-stage prostate cancer cells. Here we further evaluated the role of AIF in tumorigenesis by exploring its function in pancreatic cancer, a disease setting that most often presents at an advanced stage by the time of diagnosis. A bioinformatics approach was first employed to investigate AIF mRNA transcript levels in pancreatic tumor specimens vs. normal tissues. AIF-deficient pancreatic cancer cell lines were then established via lentiviral infection. Immunoblot analysis was used to determine relative protein quantities within cells. Cell viability was measured by flow cytometry; in vitro and Matrigel™ growth/survival using Coulter™ counting and phase contrast microscopy; and glucose consumption in the absence and presence of Matrigel™ using spectrophotometric methods. Archival gene expression data revealed a modest elevation of AIF transcript levels in subsets of pancreatic tumor specimens, suggesting a possible role in disease progression. AIF expression was then suppressed in a panel of five pancreatic cancer cell lines that display diverse metabolic phenotypes. AIF ablation selectively crippled the growth of cells in vitro in a manner that directly correlated with the loss of mitochondrial respiratory chain subunits and altered glucose metabolism, and these effects were exacerbated in the presence of Matrigel™ substrate. This suggests a critical metabolic role for AIF to pancreatic tumorigenesis, while the spectrum of sensitivities to AIF ablation depends on basal cellular metabolic phenotypes. Altogether these data indicate that AIF supports the growth and survival of metabolically defined

  14. Diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer. Oncology overview

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1982-09-01

    Oncology Overviews are a service of the International Cancer Research Data Bank (ICRDB) Program of the National Cancer Institute, intended to facilitate and promote the exchange of information between cancer scientists by keeping them aware of literature related to their research being published by other laboratories throughout the world. Each Oncology Overview represents a survey of the literature associated with a selected area of cancer research. It contains abstracts of articles which have been selected and organized by researchers associated with the field. Contents: Radiological diagnosis of pancreatic cancer; Biopsy and cytology in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer; Pathology and morphology of pancreatic cancer; Staging and prognosis of pancreatic cancer; Biological and immunological markers in the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer; Surgical treatment of pancreatic cancer; Drug therapy of pancreatic cancer; Radiation therapy of pancreatic cancer; Selected studies on the epidemiology of pancreatic cancer; Clinical correlates and syndromes associated with pancreatic neoplasia

  15. Surgery for chronic pancreatitis decreases the risk for pancreatic cancer: a multicenter retrospective analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ueda, Junji; Tanaka, Masao; Ohtsuka, Takao; Tokunaga, Shoji; Shimosegawa, Tooru

    2013-03-01

    Chronic pancreatitis is suggested to be one of the risk factors for the development of pancreatic cancer. The aim of this study was to confirm the high incidence of pancreatic cancer in patients with chronic pancreatitis in Japan and to determine the factors associated with the risk for pancreatic cancer in patients with chronic pancreatitis. The working group of the Research Committee of Intractable Disease supported by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan carried out a nationwide survey to investigate the relationship between chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. This retrospective study included patients diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis who had had at least 2 years of follow-up. They were contacted through 22 Japanese referral centers experienced in the management of chronic pancreatitis. The standardized incidence ratio (95 CI) of pancreatic cancer was 11.8 (7.1-18.4). The incidence of pancreatic cancer was significantly lower in patients who had received surgery for chronic pancreatitis than in those who had not undergone surgery (hazard ratio estimated by Cox regression 0.11; 95% CI, 0.0014-0.80; P = .03). Patients who continued to drink alcohol after diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis showed a significantly higher incidence of pancreatic cancer than those who stopped drinking after diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis (hazard ratio, 5.07; 95% CI, 1.13-22.73; P = .03). This study confirmed that chronic pancreatitis is an important risk factor for the development of pancreatic cancer in Japan. Patients who underwent surgery for the treatment of chronic pancreatitis had significantly lower incidences of pancreatic cancer. Surgery for chronic pancreatitis may inhibit the development of pancreatic cancer in patients with chronic pancreatitis. Copyright © 2013 Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

  16. Nutritional and Metabolic Derangements in Pancreatic Cancer and Pancreatic Resection.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gilliland, Taylor M; Villafane-Ferriol, Nicole; Shah, Kevin P; Shah, Rohan M; Tran Cao, Hop S; Massarweh, Nader N; Silberfein, Eric J; Choi, Eugene A; Hsu, Cary; McElhany, Amy L; Barakat, Omar; Fisher, William; Van Buren, George

    2017-03-07

    Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis. The disease and its treatment can cause significant nutritional impairments that often adversely impact patient quality of life (QOL). The pancreas has both exocrine and endocrine functions and, in the setting of cancer, both systems may be affected. Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI) manifests as weight loss and steatorrhea, while endocrine insufficiency may result in diabetes mellitus. Surgical resection, a central component of pancreatic cancer treatment, may induce or exacerbate these dysfunctions. Nutritional and metabolic dysfunctions in patients with pancreatic cancer lack characterization, and few guidelines exist for nutritional support in patients after surgical resection. We reviewed publications from the past two decades (1995-2016) addressing the nutritional and metabolic status of patients with pancreatic cancer, grouping them into status at the time of diagnosis, status at the time of resection, and status of nutritional support throughout the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer. Here, we summarize the results of these investigations and evaluate the effectiveness of various types of nutritional support in patients after pancreatectomy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC). We outline the following conservative perioperative strategies to optimize patient outcomes and guide the care of these patients: (1) patients with albumin 10% should postpone surgery and begin aggressive nutrition supplementation; (2) patients with albumin endocrine and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency alongside implementation of appropriate treatment to improve the patient's quality of life.

  17. Development of epidermal growth factor receptor targeted therapy in pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qing, Liu; Qing, Wang

    2018-02-01

    The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family are a series of important cancer therapeutic targets involved in cancer biology. These genes play an important role in tumor biological characteristics including angiogenesis, cell survival, invasion and glucose metabolism. In recent years, progresses have been achieved upon the cellular and molecular biological characteristics of EGFR and its role in cancer development based on the study of tumor specimens and experimental animal model. EGFR(HER1/ErbB) is overexpressed in over sixty percent of triple-negative breast cancers and occurs in pancreatic, bladder, lung and head-and-neck cancers. Up to now, EGFR inhibitors have been applied in various of cancer, such as lung, breast, bladder and head and neck cancers etc., in which the combination of EGFR inhibitors plus chemotherapeutic agents is now seen as the standard of care for advanced/metastatic pancreatic cancer. For these reasons, EGFR inhibitors and their therapeutic effect for pancreatic cancer is becoming the focus in Laboratory and clinical research. In this paper, research progress of the development of epidermal growth factor receptor targeted therapy in pancreatic cancer is introduced.

  18. Advances in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Limitations of surgery and evaluation of new therapeutic strategies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yokoyama, Yukihiro; Nagino, Masato; Nimura, Yuji

    2009-01-01

    Pancreatic ductal carcinoma is one of the most dismal malignancies of the gastrointestinal system. Even after curative resection, the actual 5-year survival is only 10%-20%. Of all the treatments used against pancreatic cancer, surgery is still the only one that can achieve complete cure. Pancreatic cancer spreads easily to the adjacent tissues and distant metastasis is common. Typically, this cancer invades the retropancreatic neural tissue, duodenum, portal vein (PV), and superior mesenteric vein (SMV), or regional lymph nodes. For this reason, aggressive surgery that removes the cancerous lesion completely is recommended. Several retrospective and prospective studies have been conducted to validate the usefulness of aggressive surgery for pancreatic cancer in the past few decades. Surprisingly, the survival benefits of aggressive surgery have been denied by most randomized controlled trials (RCTs). This implies that surgery alone is not enough. Thus, adjuvant therapy, such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy, has been given in combination with surgery to improve survival. Although the benefits of radiotherapy alone are limited, the results of chemotherapy are promising. Other newly evolving molecular targeting drugs may also improve the treatment outcomes of pancreatic cancer. (author)

  19. Comparison of Intrahepatic and Pancreatic Perfusion on Fusion Images Using a Combined SPECT/CT System and Assessment of Efficacy of Combined Continuous Arterial Infusion and Systemic Chemotherapy in Advanced Pancreatic Carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ikeda, Osama; Tamura, Yoshitaka; Nakasone, Yutaka; Shiraishi, Shinya; Kawanaka, Kouichi; Tomiguchi, Seiji; Yamashita, Yasuyuki; Takamori, Hiroshi; Kanemitsu, Keiichiro; Baba, Hideo

    2007-01-01

    Purpose. The purpose of this study was to compare intrahepatic and pancreatic perfusion on fusion images using a combined single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT system and to evaluate the efficacy of combined continuous transcatheter arterial infusion (CTAI) and systemic chemotherapy in the treatment of advanced pancreatic carcinoma. Materials and Methods. CTAI was performed in 33 patients (22 men, 11 women; age range, 35-77 years; mean age, 60 years) with stage IV pancreatic cancer with liver metastasis. The reservoir was transcutaneously implanted with the help of angiography. The systemic administration of gemcitabine was combined with the infusion of 5-fluorouracil via the reservoir. In all patients we obtained fusion images using a combined SPECT/CT system. Pancreatic perfusion on fusion images was classified as perfusion presence or as perfusion absent in the pancreatic cancer. Using WHO criteria we recorded the tumor response after 3 months on multislice helical CT scans. Treatment effects were evaluated based on the pancreatic cancer, liver metastasis, and factors such as intrahepatic and pancreatic perfusion on fusion images. For statistical analysis we used the chi-square test; survival was evaluated by the Kaplan Meier method (log-rank test). Results. On fusion images, pancreatic and intrahepatic perfusion was recorded as hot spot and as homogeneous distribution, respectively, in 18 patients (55%) and as cold spot and heterogeneous distribution, respectively, in 15 (45%). Patients with hot spot in the pancreatic tumor and homogeneous distribution in the liver manifested better treatment results (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). Patients with hot spot both in the pancreatic cancer and in the liver survived longer than those with cold spot in the pancreatic cancer and heterogeneous distribution in the liver (median ± SD, 16.0 ± 3.7 vs. 8.0 ± 1.4 months; p < 0.05). Conclusions. We conclude that in patients with advanced pancreatic

  20. Phase II trial of Uracil/Tegafur plus leucovorin and celecoxib combined with radiotherapy in locally advanced pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morak, Marjolein J.M.; Richel, Dick J.; Eijck, Casper H.J. van; Nuyttens, Joost J.M.E.; Gaast, Ate van der; Vervenne, Walter L.; Padmos, Esther E.; Schaake, Eva E.; Busch, Olivier R.C.; Tienhoven, Geertjan van

    2011-01-01

    Background and purpose: To investigate the efficacy and toxicity of a short intensive Uracil/Tegafur (UFT) based chemoradiotherapy scheme combined with celecoxib in locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Material and methods: The Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam and the Erasmus Medical Centre, Rotterdam enrolled 83 eligible patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer in a prospective multicentre phase II study. Median age was 62 years, median tumour size 40 mm and the majority of the patients (85%) had pancreatic head cancers. Treatment consisted of 20 x 2.5 Gy radiotherapy combined with UFT 300 mg/m 2 per day, leucovorin (folinic acid) 30 mg and celecoxib 800 mg for 28 days concomitant with radiotherapy. Four patients were lost to follow-up. Results: Full treatment compliance was achieved in 55% of patients, 80% received at least 3 weeks of treatment. No partial or complete response was observed. Median survival was 10.6 months and median time to progression 6.9 months. Toxicity was substantial with 28% grades III and IV gastro-intestinal toxicity and two early toxic deaths. Conclusions: Based on the lack of response, the substantial toxicity of mainly gastro-intestinal origin and the reported mediocre overall and progression free survival, we cannot advise our short intensive chemoradiotherapy schedule combined with celecoxib as the standard treatment.

  1. Quantitative Proteomic Analysis of Serum Exosomes from Patients with Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer Undergoing Chemoradiotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    An, Mingrui; Lohse, Ines; Tan, Zhijing; Zhu, Jianhui; Wu, Jing; Kurapati, Himabindu; Morgan, Meredith A; Lawrence, Theodore S; Cuneo, Kyle C; Lubman, David M

    2017-04-07

    Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer-related death in the USA. Despite extensive research, minimal improvements in patient outcomes have been achieved. Early identification of treatment response and metastasis would be valuable to determine the appropriate therapeutic course for patients. In this work, we isolated exosomes from the serum of 10 patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer at serial time points over a course of therapy, and quantitative analysis was performed using the iTRAQ method. We detected approximately 700-800 exosomal proteins per sample, several of which have been implicated in metastasis and treatment resistance. We compared the exosomal proteome of patients at different time points during treatment to healthy controls and identified eight proteins that show global treatment-specific changes. We then tested the effect of patient-derived exosomes on the migration of tumor cells and found that patient-derived exosomes, but not healthy controls, induce cell migration, supporting their role in metastasis. Our data show that exosomes can be reliably extracted from patient serum and analyzed for protein content. The differential loading of exosomes during a course of therapy suggests that exosomes may provide novel insights into the development of treatment resistance and metastasis.

  2. A current perspective on stereotactic body radiation therapy for pancreatic cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hong JC

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Julian C Hong, Brian G Czito, Christopher G Willett, Manisha Palta Department of Radiation Oncology, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA Abstract: Pancreatic cancer is a formidable malignancy with poor outcomes. The majority of patients are unable to undergo resection, which remains the only potentially curative treatment option. The management of locally advanced (unresectable pancreatic cancer is controversial; however, treatment with either chemotherapy or chemoradiation is associated with high rates of local tumor progression and metastases development, resulting in low survival rates. An emerging local modality is stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT, which uses image-guided, conformal, high-dose radiation. SBRT has demonstrated promising local control rates and resultant quality of life with acceptable rates of toxicity. Over the past decade, increasing clinical experience and data have supported SBRT as a local treatment modality. Nevertheless, additional research is required to further evaluate the role of SBRT and improve upon the persistently poor outcomes associated with pancreatic cancer. This review discusses the existing clinical experience and technical implementation of SBRT for pancreatic cancer and highlights the directions for ongoing and future studies. Keywords: pancreatic cancer, stereotactic body radiation therapy, SBRT, radiation therapy

  3. Differentiation of autoimmune pancreatitis from suspected pancreatic cancer by fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ozaki, Yayoi; Hamano, Hideaki; Oguchi, Kazuhiro

    2008-01-01

    Fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) has been widely used for the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Because autoimmune pancreatitis is easily misdiagnosed as pancreatic cancer and can be tested for by FDG-PET analysis based on the presence of suspected pancreatic cancer, we attempted to clarify the differences in FDG-PET findings between the two conditions. We compared FDG-PET findings between 15 patients with autoimmune pancreatitis and 26 patients with pancreatic cancer. The findings were evaluated visually or semiquantitatively using the maximum standardized uptake value and the accumulation pattern of FDG. FDG uptake was found in all 15 patients with autoimmune pancreatitis, whereas it was found in 19 of 26 patients (73.1%) with pancreatic cancer. An accumulation pattern characterized by nodular shapes was significantly more frequent in pancreatic cancer, whereas a longitudinal shape indicated autoimmune pancreatitis. Heterogeneous accumulation was found in almost all cases of autoimmune pancreatitis, whereas homogeneous accumulation was found in pancreatic cancer. Significantly more cases of pancreatic cancer showed solitary localization, whereas multiple localization in the pancreas favored the presence of autoimmune pancreatitis. FDG uptake by the hilar lymph node was significantly more frequent in autoimmune pancreatitis than in pancreatic cancer, and uptake by the lachrymal gland, salivary gland, biliary duct, retroperitoneal space, and prostate were seen only in autoimmune pancreatitis. FDG-PET is a useful tool for differentiating autoimmune pancreatitis from suspected pancreatic cancer, if the accumulation pattern and extrapancreatic involvement are considered. IgG4 measurement and other current image tests can further confirm the diagnosis. (author)

  4. A current perspective on stereotactic body radiation therapy for pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Julian C; Czito, Brian G; Willett, Christopher G; Palta, Manisha

    2016-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is a formidable malignancy with poor outcomes. The majority of patients are unable to undergo resection, which remains the only potentially curative treatment option. The management of locally advanced (unresectable) pancreatic cancer is controversial; however, treatment with either chemotherapy or chemoradiation is associated with high rates of local tumor progression and metastases development, resulting in low survival rates. An emerging local modality is stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT), which uses image-guided, conformal, high-dose radiation. SBRT has demonstrated promising local control rates and resultant quality of life with acceptable rates of toxicity. Over the past decade, increasing clinical experience and data have supported SBRT as a local treatment modality. Nevertheless, additional research is required to further evaluate the role of SBRT and improve upon the persistently poor outcomes associated with pancreatic cancer. This review discusses the existing clinical experience and technical implementation of SBRT for pancreatic cancer and highlights the directions for ongoing and future studies.

  5. [Non surgical treatment of pancreatic cancers].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bleiberg, H; Gerard, B; Hendlisz, A; Jagodzinski, R

    1997-09-01

    Pancreatic cancer is a disease difficult to treat. Diagnosis is late, cancer remaining clinically unapparent even if locally advanced or metastatic. Few patients can be submitted to curative surgery. Even if resection is possible, 5-year survival varies from 0% to 18% according to series. Some data suggest that chemotherapy with or without radiotherapy could influence disease free survival but a benefit on overall survival has not been demonstrated. For locally advanced disease, the results of a trial published in 1968, showed that a combination of radiotherapy and 5-Fluorouracil (5FU) improved median survival as compared to radiotherapy alone (5.5 versus 10 months). Since then, no progress has been achieved. At the present time, survival of patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer cannot be improved. Very recently, a new agent, gemcitabine, has been compared to 5FU. Criteria for activity were based on clinical improvement analgesia consumption, performance status and weight gain. Twenty-four percent of the patients treated with gemcitabine had a clinical benefit as compared to 5% for those treated with 5FU. Other studies comparing chemotherapy to best supportive care show a significant decrease of depression and anxiety as well as an improvement in quality of life for patients being treated.

  6. Acute Pancreatitis and Pancreatic Cancer Risk: A Nationwide Matched-cohort Study in Denmark

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kirkegård, Jakob; Cronin Fenton, Deirdre; Heide-Jørgensen, Uffe

    2018-01-01

    . Pancreatic cancer risk was expressed as hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% CIs, calculated using the Cox proportional hazards model. Cox models were stratified by age, sex, and year of pancreatitis diagnosis and adjusted for alcohol- and smoking-related conditions, and Charlson Comorbidity Index score. Results We...... included 41,669 patients diagnosed with incident acute pancreatitis and 208,340 comparison individuals. Patients with acute pancreatitis had an increased risk of pancreatic cancer compared with the age- and sex-matched general population throughout the follow-up period. The risk decreased over time......Background & Aims Acute pancreatitis may be a risk factor for pancreatic cancer. However, findings from studies on this association are conflicting. We investigated the association between acute pancreatitis and increased risk of pancreatic cancer. Methods We conducted a nationwide, population...

  7. Sequential changes from minimal pancreatic inflammation to advanced alcoholic pancreatitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noronha, M; Dreiling, D A; Bordalo, O

    1983-11-01

    A correlation of several clinical parameters and pancreatitis morphological alterations observed in chronic alcoholics with and without pancreatic is presented. Three groups of patients were studied: asymptomatic chronic alcoholics (24); non-alcoholic controls (10); and cases with advanced chronic pancreatitis (6). Clinical, biochemical and functional studies were performed. Morphological studies were made on surgical biopsy specimens in light and electron microscopy. The results of this study showed: 1) fat accumulates within pancreatic acinar cells in alcoholics drinking more than 80 g of ethanol per day; 2) ultrastructural changes found in acinar cells of the alcoholics are similar to those described for liver cells; 3) the alterations found in alcoholics without pancreatitis are also observed in those with advanced chronic pancreatitis. An attempt to correlate the sequential changes in the histopathology of alcoholic pancreatic disease with the clinical picture and secretory patterns was made. According to these observations, admitting the ultrastructural similarities between the liver and the pancreas and the recently demonstrated abnormalities of lipid metabolism in pancreatic cells in experimental animal research, the authors postulate a toxic-metabolic mechanism as a likely hypothesis for the pathogenesis of chronic alcoholic inflammation of the pancreas.

  8. Pancreatic Metastasis from Prostate Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Julian Jacob

    2010-01-01

    Full Text Available The pancreas is an unusual location for metastases from other primary cancers. Rarely, pancreatic metastases from kidney or colorectal cancers have been reported. However, a variety of other cancers may also spread to the pancreas. We report an exceptional case of pancreatic metastasis from prostate cancer. Differences in management between primary and secondary pancreatic tumors make recognition of metastases to the pancreas an objective of first importance. Knowledge of unusual locations for metastatic spread will reduce diagnostic delay and lead to a timely delivery of an appropriate treatment.

  9. Ultrasonographic diagnosis of pancreatic and peripancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Park, Churl Min; Kim, Ho Kyun; Yoon, Yup; Lee, Sun Wha; Kim, Soon Yong; Ahn, Chi Yul

    1982-01-01

    Seventeen cases of cancers in and adjacent to the pancreas were studied by high resolution and wide field real time ultrasonographic scanner with 3.5 MHz linear array electronically focusing transducer. The result were as follows: 1. In a total of 17 cases, 7 cases were pancreatic cancers and the rests were 3 cases of ampulla of Vaster cancer, 3 cases of distal CBD cancers, and 4 cases of metastatic cancers, respectively. 2. Pancreatic cancers were located mainly in head portion, and metastatic cancers were noted in head, tail, and retropancreatic areas. 3. The sizes of all distal CBD cancer were less than 1.8 cm, usually smaller than other tumors, and the size of metastatic cancers were variable (1-6 cm). 4. The shape, margin, contour and echogenicity of the tumors were variable. 5. Pancreatic duct showed marked dilatation in one of pancreatic cancer, and mild dilatation in one of ampulla of Vater cancer. 6. The caliber of extrahepatic duct were moderately or markedly dilated in nearly all cases except 2 cases of pancreatic body cancer. 7. The pancreatic margin is partially obliterated in pancreatic and ampulla of Vater cancers but not in distal CBD cancer. 8. Gallbladder enlargement is secondary change due to the obstruction of extrahepatic bile duct. 9. Effects on the vessels are due to not only direct mass effect but direct invasion resulting in obliteration. The most commonly involved vessels are spleno-portal junction, splenic vein and portal vein. In case of pancreatic cancer in uncinate process, the superior mesenteric vessels are displaced anteriorly. 10. Surrounding metastatic lesions were suspected in pancreatic and ampulla of Vater cancer, but not seen in distal CBD cancer. 11. Ascites were seen in only two cases of metastasis

  10. Health-Related Quality of Life in SCALOP, a Randomized Phase 2 Trial Comparing Chemoradiation Therapy Regimens in Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hurt, Christopher N.; Mukherjee, Somnath; Bridgewater, John; Falk, Stephen; Crosby, Tom; McDonald, Alec; Joseph, George; Staffurth, John; Abrams, Ross A.; Blazeby, Jane M.; Bridges, Sarah; Dutton, Peter; Griffiths, Gareth; Maughan, Tim; Johnson, Colin

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: Chemoradiation therapy (CRT) for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) provides survival benefits but may result in considerable toxicity. Health-related quality of life (HRQL) measurements during CRT have not been widely reported. This paper reports HRQL data from the Selective Chemoradiation in Advanced Localised Pancreatic Cancer (SCALOP) trial, including validation of the QLQ-PAN26 tool in CRT. Methods and Materials: Patients with locally advanced, inoperable, nonmetastatic carcinoma of the pancreas were eligible. Following 12 weeks of induction gemcitabine plus capecitabine (GEMCAP) chemotherapy, patients with stable and responding disease were randomized to a further cycle of GEMCAP followed by capecitabine- or gemcitabine-based CRT. HRQL was assessed with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and the EORTC Pancreatic Cancer module (PAN26). Results: A total of 114 patients from 28 UK centers were registered and 74 patients randomized. There was improvement in the majority of HRQL scales during induction chemotherapy. Patients with significant deterioration in fatigue, appetite loss, and gastrointestinal symptoms during CRT recovered within 3 weeks following CRT. Differences in changes in HRQL scores between trial arms rarely reached statistical significance; however, where they did, they favored capecitabine therapy. PAN26 scales had good internal consistency and were able to distinguish between subgroups of patients experiencing toxicity. Conclusions: Although there is deterioration in HRQL following CRT, this resolves within 3 weeks. HRQL data support the use of capecitabine- over gemcitabine-based chemoradiation. The QLQ-PAN26 is a reliable and valid tool for use in patients receiving CRT.

  11. Health-Related Quality of Life in SCALOP, a Randomized Phase 2 Trial Comparing Chemoradiation Therapy Regimens in Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hurt, Christopher N., E-mail: hurtcn@cardiff.ac.uk [Wales Cancer Trials Unit, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales (United Kingdom); Mukherjee, Somnath [Cancer Research UK/MRC Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, Oxford University, NIHR Biomedical Research, Oxford (United Kingdom); Bridgewater, John [UCL Cancer Institute, London (United Kingdom); Falk, Stephen [Bristol Haematology and Oncology Centre, Bristol (United Kingdom); Crosby, Tom [Velindre Cancer Centre, Velindre Hospital, Cardiff, Wales (United Kingdom); McDonald, Alec [Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre, Glasgow, Scotland (United Kingdom); Joseph, George [Velindre Cancer Centre, Velindre Hospital, Cardiff, Wales (United Kingdom); Staffurth, John [Institute of Cancer and Genetics, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales (United Kingdom); Abrams, Ross A. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, Illinois (United States); Blazeby, Jane M. [Division of Surgery, Head and Neck, University Hospitals Bristol National Health Service Foundation Trust, Bristol and School of Social and Community Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol (United Kingdom); Bridges, Sarah [Wales Cancer Trials Unit, College of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff, Wales (United Kingdom); Dutton, Peter [Centre for Statistics in Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford (United Kingdom); Griffiths, Gareth [Southampton Clinical Trials Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Southampton University, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton (United Kingdom); Maughan, Tim [Cancer Research UK/MRC Oxford Institute for Radiation Oncology, Oxford University, NIHR Biomedical Research, Oxford (United Kingdom); Johnson, Colin [University Surgical Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton (United Kingdom)

    2015-11-15

    Purpose: Chemoradiation therapy (CRT) for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) provides survival benefits but may result in considerable toxicity. Health-related quality of life (HRQL) measurements during CRT have not been widely reported. This paper reports HRQL data from the Selective Chemoradiation in Advanced Localised Pancreatic Cancer (SCALOP) trial, including validation of the QLQ-PAN26 tool in CRT. Methods and Materials: Patients with locally advanced, inoperable, nonmetastatic carcinoma of the pancreas were eligible. Following 12 weeks of induction gemcitabine plus capecitabine (GEMCAP) chemotherapy, patients with stable and responding disease were randomized to a further cycle of GEMCAP followed by capecitabine- or gemcitabine-based CRT. HRQL was assessed with the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (EORTC QLQ-C30) and the EORTC Pancreatic Cancer module (PAN26). Results: A total of 114 patients from 28 UK centers were registered and 74 patients randomized. There was improvement in the majority of HRQL scales during induction chemotherapy. Patients with significant deterioration in fatigue, appetite loss, and gastrointestinal symptoms during CRT recovered within 3 weeks following CRT. Differences in changes in HRQL scores between trial arms rarely reached statistical significance; however, where they did, they favored capecitabine therapy. PAN26 scales had good internal consistency and were able to distinguish between subgroups of patients experiencing toxicity. Conclusions: Although there is deterioration in HRQL following CRT, this resolves within 3 weeks. HRQL data support the use of capecitabine- over gemcitabine-based chemoradiation. The QLQ-PAN26 is a reliable and valid tool for use in patients receiving CRT.

  12. Assessment value of quantitative indexes of pancreatic CT perfusion scanning for malignant degree of pancreatic cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiang-Xia Lei

    2016-10-01

    Full Text Available Objective: To analyze the assessment value of the quantitative indexes of pancreatic CT perfusion scanning for malignant degree of pancreatic cancer. Methods: A total of 58 patients with space-occupying pancreatic lesions were divided into 20 patients with pancreatic cancer and 38 patients with benign pancreatic lesions after pancreatic CT perfusion. Patients with pancreatic cancer received palliative surgery, and the cancer tissue and para-carcinoma tissue specimens were collected during operation. The differences in pancreatic CT perfusion scanning parameter values and serum tumor marker levels were compared between patients with pancreatic cancer and patients with benign pancreatic lesions, mRNA expression levels of malignant molecules in pancreatic cancer tissue and para-carcinoma tissue were further determined, and the correlation between pancreatic CT perfusion scanning parameter values and malignant degree of pancreatic cancer was analyzed. Results: CT perfusion scanning BF, BV and Per values of patients with pancreatic cancer were lower than those of patients with benign pancreatic lesions; serum CA19-9, CEA, CA125 and CA242 levels were higher than those of patients with benign pancreatic lesions (P<0.05; mRNA expression levels of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and survivin in pancreatic cancer tissue samples were higher than those in paracarcinoma tissue samples, and mRNA expression levels of P53 and Bax were lower than those in para-carcinoma tissue samples (P<0.05; CT perfusion scanning parameters BF, BV and Per values of patients with pancreatic cancer were negatively correlated with CA19-9, CEA, CA125 and CA242 levels in serum as well as mRNA expression levels of Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and survivin in pancreatic cancer tissue, and positively correlated with mRNA expression levels of P53 and Bax in pancreatic cancer tissue (P<0.05. Conclusions: Pancreatic CT perfusion scanning is a reliable way to judge the malignant degree of pancreatic cancer and plays a

  13. Long-term results of concurrent radiotherapy and UFT in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bjerregaard, Jon K; Mortensen, Michael B; Jensen, Helle A

    2009-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Definition and treatment options for locally advanced non-resectable pancreatic cancer (LAPC) vary. Treatment options range from palliative chemotherapy to chemoradiotherapy (CRT). Several studies have shown that a number of patients become resectable after complementary treatment prior...... underwent resection, leading to a resection rate of 17%, and a median survival of 46 (23-nr) months. All 11 patients had a R0 resection. Median survival for the patients not resected was 8.8 (8-12) months. CONCLUSION: CRT with 50 Gy combined with UFT, is a well-tolerated and effective treatment for patients...

  14. Hypermutation in pancreatic cancer

    OpenAIRE

    Humphris, Jeremy L.; Patch, Ann-Marie; Nones, Katia; Bailey, Peter J.; Johns, Amber L.; McKay, Skye; Chang, David K.; Miller, David K.; Pajic, Marina; Kassahn, Karin S.; Quinn, Michael C.J.; Bruxner, Timothy J.C.; Christ, Angelika N.; Harliwong, Ivon; Idrisoglu, Senel

    2017-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is molecularly diverse, with few effective therapies. Increased mutation burden and defective DNA repair are associated with response to immune checkpoint inhibitors in several other cancer types. We interrogated 385 pancreatic cancer genomes to define hypermutation and its causes. Mutational signatures inferring defects in DNA repair were enriched in those with the highest mutation burdens. Mismatch repair deficiency was identified in 1% of tumors harboring different mechan...

  15. Dynamic Contrast Enhanced MRI in Patients With Advanced Breast or Pancreatic Cancer With Metastases to the Liver or Lung

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-05-28

    Acinar Cell Adenocarcinoma of the Pancreas; Duct Cell Adenocarcinoma of the Pancreas; Liver Metastases; Lung Metastases; Recurrent Breast Cancer; Recurrent Pancreatic Cancer; Stage IV Breast Cancer; Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer

  16. Nutritional and Metabolic Derangements in Pancreatic Cancer and Pancreatic Resection

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Taylor M. Gilliland

    2017-03-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis. The disease and its treatment can cause significant nutritional impairments that often adversely impact patient quality of life (QOL. The pancreas has both exocrine and endocrine functions and, in the setting of cancer, both systems may be affected. Pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (PEI manifests as weight loss and steatorrhea, while endocrine insufficiency may result in diabetes mellitus. Surgical resection, a central component of pancreatic cancer treatment, may induce or exacerbate these dysfunctions. Nutritional and metabolic dysfunctions in patients with pancreatic cancer lack characterization, and few guidelines exist for nutritional support in patients after surgical resection. We reviewed publications from the past two decades (1995–2016 addressing the nutritional and metabolic status of patients with pancreatic cancer, grouping them into status at the time of diagnosis, status at the time of resection, and status of nutritional support throughout the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer. Here, we summarize the results of these investigations and evaluate the effectiveness of various types of nutritional support in patients after pancreatectomy for pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC. We outline the following conservative perioperative strategies to optimize patient outcomes and guide the care of these patients: (1 patients with albumin < 2.5 mg/dL or weight loss > 10% should postpone surgery and begin aggressive nutrition supplementation; (2 patients with albumin < 3 mg/dL or weight loss between 5% and 10% should have nutrition supplementation prior to surgery; (3 enteral nutrition (EN should be preferred as a nutritional intervention over total parenteral nutrition (TPN postoperatively; and, (4 a multidisciplinary approach should be used to allow for early detection of symptoms of endocrine and exocrine pancreatic insufficiency alongside implementation of

  17. Pancreatic Cancer—Patient Version

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pancreatic cancer can form in exocrine cells and neuroendocrine cells. The exocrine type is more common and is usually found at an advanced stage. Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors are less common but have a better prognosis. Start here to find information on pancreatic cancer treatment, research, and statistics.

  18. Pancreatic Cancer-Derived Exosomes Cause Paraneoplastic β-cell Dysfunction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Javeed, Naureen; Sagar, Gunisha; Dutta, Shamit K; Smyrk, Thomas C; Lau, Julie S; Bhattacharya, Santanu; Truty, Mark; Petersen, Gloria M; Kaufman, Randal J; Chari, Suresh T; Mukhopadhyay, Debabrata

    2015-04-01

    Pancreatic cancer frequently causes diabetes. We recently proposed adrenomedullin as a candidate mediator of pancreatic β-cell dysfunction in pancreatic cancer. How pancreatic cancer-derived adrenomedullin reaches β cells remote from the cancer to induce β-cell dysfunction is unknown. We tested a novel hypothesis that pancreatic cancer sheds adrenomedullin-containing exosomes into circulation, which are transported to β cells and impair insulin secretion. We characterized exosomes from conditioned media of pancreatic cancer cell lines (n = 5) and portal/peripheral venous blood of patients with pancreatic cancer (n = 20). Western blot analysis showed the presence of adrenomedullin in pancreatic cancer-exosomes. We determined the effect of adrenomedullin-containing pancreatic cancer exosomes on insulin secretion from INS-1 β cells and human islets, and demonstrated the mechanism of exosome internalization into β cells. We studied the interaction between β-cell adrenomedullin receptors and adrenomedullin present in pancreatic cancer-exosomes. In addition, the effect of adrenomedullin on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response genes and reactive oxygen/nitrogen species generation in β cells was shown. Exosomes were found to be the predominant extracellular vesicles secreted by pancreatic cancer into culture media and patient plasma. Pancreatic cancer-exosomes contained adrenomedullin and CA19-9, readily entered β cells through caveolin-mediated endocytosis or macropinocytosis, and inhibited insulin secretion. Adrenomedullin in pancreatic cancer exosomes interacted with its receptor on β cells. Adrenomedullin receptor blockade abrogated the inhibitory effect of exosomes on insulin secretion. β cells exposed to adrenomedullin or pancreatic cancer exosomes showed upregulation of ER stress genes and increased reactive oxygen/nitrogen species. Pancreatic cancer causes paraneoplastic β-cell dysfunction by shedding adrenomedullin(+)/CA19-9(+) exosomes into

  19. Clinical efficacy of CT-guided 125I seed implantation therapy for advanced pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang Zhongmin; Lu Jian; Gong Ju; Zheng Yunfeng; Zhang Liyun; Huang Gang; Chen Kemin

    2009-01-01

    Objective: To discuss the clinical efficacy of CT-guided radioactive 125 I seed implantation treatment for unresectable pancreatic cancer. Methods: Forty patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer were enrolled in this study, including 25 males and 15 females with an median age of 69 years (38-89 years). Treatment planning system (TPS) was used to reconstruct 3-dimensional images of pancreatic tumor and to define the quantity and distribution of 125 I seeds. The radioactivity of 125 I seeds was 0.5 - 0.8 mCi / seed. The seeds were implanted into pancreatic tumor under CT guidance at intervals of 1 cm and were kept away from vessels, pancreatic duct and other adjacent important organs. The tumor matched peripheral dose (MPD) was 60-140 Gy. The median amount of implanted 125 I seeds was 36 (18-68) in number. CT scan was performed immediately after the procedure to check the quality of the seeds. In addition, 10 patients received concurrent chemotherapy with arterial infusion of gemcitabin and 5-fluororacil (5-Fu) for 3 to 4 therapeutic courses. Results: The median diameter of the tumors was 4.9 cm. The follow-up period was 2 to 28 months. After the treatment the refractory pain was significantly relieved (P 125 I seed implantation is a safe, effective and minimally-invasive brachytherapy for unresectable pancreatic cancer with reliable short-term efficacy. It has an excellent anti-pain effect. The curative results can be further improved when chemotherapy is employed together. However, its long-term efficacy needs to be observed. (authors)

  20. Locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Chemoradiotherapy, reevaluation and secondary resection

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Delpero, J.R.; Turrini, O.

    2006-01-01

    Induction chemoradiotherapy (CRT) may down-stage locally advanced pancreatic tumors but secondary resections are unfrequent. However some responders' patients may benefit of a RO resection. Patients and methods. We report 18 resections among 29 locally advanced pancreatic cancers; 15 patients were treated with neo-adjuvant 5-FU-cisplatin based (13) or taxotere based (2 patients) chemoradiotherapy (45 Gy), and 3 patients without histologically proven adenocarcinoma were resected without any preoperative treatment. Results. The morbidity rate was 28% and the mortality rate was 7%; one patient died after resection (5.5%) and one died after exploration (9%). The RO resection rate was 50%. The median survival for the resected patients was not reached and the actuarial survival at 3 years was 59%. Two specimens showed no residual tumor and the two patients were alive at 15 and 46 months without recurrence; one specimen showed less than 10% viable tumoral cells and the patient was alive at 36 months without recurrence. A mesenteric infarction was the cause of a late death at 3 years in a disease free patient (radiation induced injury of the superior mesenteric artery). The median survival of the 11 non-resected patients was 21 months and the actuarial survival at 2 years was 0%. When the number of the resected patients (18) was reported to the entire cohort of the patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer treated during the same period in our institution, the secondary resectability rate was 9%. Conclusion. Preoperative chemoradiotherapy identifies poor surgical candidates through observation and may enhance the margin status of patients undergoing secondary resection for locally advanced tumors. However it remains difficult to evaluate the results in the literature because of the variations in the definitions of resectability. The best therapeutic strategy remains to be defined, because the majority of patients ultimately succumb with distant metastatic disease

  1. The side effects and complications of percutaneous iodine-125 seeds implantation under CT-guide for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lv, Wei-Fu; Lu, Dong; Xiao, Jing-Kun; Mukhiya, Gauri; Tan, Zhong-Xiao; Cheng, De-Lei; Zhou, Chun-Ze; Zhang, Xing-Min; Zhang, Zheng-Feng; Hou, Chang-Long

    2017-12-01

    The present study investigates the side effects and complications of computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous iodine-125 (I-125) seeds implantation for advanced pancreatic cancer. The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed for patients treated with implantation of I-125 seeds under CT-guide in our hospital from May 2010 to April 2015. The side effects and complications were collected and their possible reasons were analyzed. A total of 78 patients were enrolled. The side effects were categorized as fever in 29 cases (37.18%), abdominal pain in 26 cases (33.33%), nausea and vomiting in 9 cases (11.54%), diarrhea in 5 cases (6.41%), and constipation in 4 cases (5.13%). Complications were composed of pancreatitis in 9 cases (11.54%), infection in 5 cases (6.41%), seed migration in 2 cases (2.56%), intestinal perforation in 1 case (1.28%), and intestinal obstruction in 1 case. The incidence of complication was 23.08% (18/78). The difference in incidence of complication was statistically significant between patients implanted with ≤27 seeds and those with >27 seeds (P = .032). The side effects and complications frequently occur in implantation of I-125 seeds for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. More concern should be given to the patients treated by this technique. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. A case of remnant pancreatic cancer after pancreatoduodenectomy successfully treated using chemotherapy and carbon-ion radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamamoto, Tatsuhito; Tokunou, Kazuhisa; Yamamoto, Hisato; Kamei, Ryoji; Kitamura, Yoshinori; Ando, Seiichiro

    2016-01-01

    We report a case of remnant pancreatic cancer after pancreatoduodenectomy that was successfully treated using chemotherapy and carbon-ion radiotherapy. A 68-year-old woman received SSPPD for pancreatic head cancer. Gemcitabine (GEM) was administered for a year as postoperative chemotherapy. One year 8 months after surgery, abdominal CT showed a 20 mm solid mass in the stump of the remnant pancreas and dilation of the distal pancreatic duct. FDG-PET revealed a solitary tumor without any recurrence. We diagnosed the patient with a solitary recurrence of pancreatic cancer. Chemotherapy (GEM) and carbon-ion radiotherapy were performed. After treatment, the lesion was not detected on CT or FDG-PET. Chemotherapy (GEM) and carbon-ion radiotherapy for locally advanced pancreatic cancer seems to be effective and there might result in a survival benefit. (author)

  3. Six1 promotes proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells via upregulation of cyclin D1 expression.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhaoming Li

    Full Text Available Six1 is one of the transcription factors that act as master regulators of development and are frequently dysregulated in cancers. However, the role of Six1 in pancreatic cancer is not clear. Here we show that the relative expression of Six1 mRNA is increased in pancreatic cancer and correlated with advanced tumor stage. In vitro functional assays demonstrate that forced overexpression of Six1 significantly enhances the growth rate and proliferation ability of pancreatic cancer cells. Knockdown of endogenous Six1 decreases the proliferation of these cells dramatically. Furthermore, Six1 promotes the growth of pancreatic cancer cells in a xenograft assay. We also show that the gene encoding cyclin D1 is a direct transcriptional target of Six1 in pancreatic cancer cells. Overexpression of Six1 upregulates cyclin D1 mRNA and protein, and significantly enhances the activity of the cyclin D1 promoter in PANC-1 cells. We demonstrate that Six1 promotes cell cycle progression and proliferation by upregulation of cyclin D1. These data suggest that Six1 is overexpressed in pancreatic cancer and may contribute to the increased cell proliferation through upregulation of cyclin D1.

  4. Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Colon, Pancreatic, or Lung Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-04-27

    Recurrent Colon Cancer; Extensive Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer; Stage III Pancreatic Cancer; Stage III Rectal Cancer; Limited Stage Small Cell Lung Cancer; Recurrent Pancreatic Cancer; Recurrent Rectal Cancer; Stage III Non-small Cell Lung Cancer; Stage I Pancreatic Cancer; Stage II Non-small Cell Lung Cancer; Stage IVB Pancreatic Cancer; Stage II Pancreatic Cancer; Stage III Colon Cancer; Stage IVA Pancreatic Cancer

  5. Essential role of radiation therapy for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Novel study concepts and established treatment recommendations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dobiasch, Sophie; Goerig, Nicole L.; Fietkau, Rainer; Combs, Stephanie E.

    2018-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive human tumors and the incidence has increased over the last 6 years. In the majority of cases the disease is already in an advanced stage at the time of diagnosis where surgery, the only curative treatment, is no longer an option and explains the still abysmal overall survival. The role of radiation therapy as treatment option for patients with pancreatic cancer is controversially discussed although radiation oncology has emerged as a central pillar in the combined oncological treatment. The present manuscript gives an overview of advanced radiotherapeutic strategies in the context of chemotherapy and surgery according to the current American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) guidelines in comparison with the German guidelines and to elucidate the role of radiation therapy for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Advanced modern radiotherapeutic techniques in combination with individualized high-precision radiation concepts are new therapeutic approaches for pancreatic cancer in a multimodal setting with tolerable side effects. Several clinical studies together with experimental approaches are in process, to deliver further evidence and ultimately allow true personalized medicine. (orig.) [de

  6. Current status and progress of pancreatic cancer in China.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lin, Quan-Jun; Yang, Feng; Jin, Chen; Fu, De-Liang

    2015-07-14

    Cancer is currently one of the most important public health problems in the world. Pancreatic cancer is a fatal disease with poor prognosis. As in most other countries, the health burden of pancreatic cancer in China is increasing, with annual mortality rates almost equal to incidence rates. The increasing trend of pancreatic cancer incidence is more significant in the rural areas than in the urban areas. Annual diagnoses and deaths of pancreatic cancer in China are now beyond the number of cases in the United States. GLOBOCAN 2012 estimates that cases in China account for 19.45% (65727/337872) of all newly diagnosed pancreatic cancer and 19.27% (63662/330391) of all deaths from pancreatic cancer worldwide. The population's growing socioeconomic status contributes to the rapid increase of China's proportional contribution to global rates. Here, we present an overview of control programs for pancreatic cancer in China focusing on prevention, early diagnosis and treatment. In addition, we describe key epidemiological, demographic, and socioeconomic differences between China and developed countries. Facts including no nationwide screening program for pancreatic cancer, delay in early detection resulting in a late stage at presentation, lack of awareness of pancreatic cancer in the Chinese population, and low investment compared with other cancer types by government have led to backwardness in China's pancreatic cancer diagnosis and treatment. Finally, we suggest measures to improve health outcomes of pancreatic cancer patients in China.

  7. Alleviating Pancreatic Cancer-Associated Pain Using Endoscopic Ultrasound-Guided Neurolysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takenaka, Mamoru; Kamata, Ken; Yoshikawa, Tomoe; Nakai, Atsushi; Omoto, Shunsuke; Miyata, Takeshi; Yamao, Kentaro; Imai, Hajime; Sakamoto, Hiroki; Kitano, Masayuki; Kudo, Masatoshi

    2018-01-01

    The most common symptom in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer is abdominal pain. This has traditionally been treated with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opioid analgesics. However, these treatments result in inadequate pain control or drug-related adverse effects in some patients. An alternative pain-relief modality is celiac plexus neurolysis, in which the celiac plexus is chemically ablated. This procedure was performed percutaneously or intraoperatively until 1996, when endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided celiac plexus neurolysis was first described. In this transgastric anterior approach, a neurolytic agent is injected around the celiac trunk under EUS guidance. The procedure gained popularity as a minimally invasive approach and is currently widely used to treat pancreatic cancer-associated pain. We focus on two relatively new techniques of EUS-guided neurolysis: EUS-guided celiac ganglia neurolysis and EUS-guided broad plexus neurolysis, which have been developed to improve efficacy. Although the techniques are safe and effective in general, some serious adverse events including ischemic and infectious complications have been reported as the procedure has gained widespread popularity. We summarize reported clinical outcomes of EUS-guided neurolysis in pancreatic cancer (from the PubMed and Embase databases) with a goal of providing information useful in developing strategies for pancreatic cancer-associated pain alleviation. PMID:29462851

  8. Perioperative high dose rate (HDR brachytherapy in unresectable locally advanced pancreatic tumors

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Brygida Białas

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: The aim of the study was to present an original technique of catheter implantation for perioperative HDR-Ir192 brachytherapy in patients after palliative operations of unresectable locally advanced pancreatic tumors and to estimate the influence of perioperative HDR-Ir192 brachytherapy on pain relief in terminal pancreatic cancer patients. Material and methods: Eight patients with pancreatic tumors located in the head of pancreas underwent palliative operations with the use of HDR-Ir192 brachytherapy. All patients qualified for surgery reported pain of high intensity and had received narcotic painkillers prior to operation. During the last phase of the surgery, the Nucletron® catheters were implanted in patients to prepare them for later perioperative brachytherapy. Since the 6th day after surgery HDR brachytherapy was performed. Before each brachytherapy fraction the location of implants were checked using fluoroscopy. A fractional dose was 5 Gy and a total dose was 20 Gy in the area of radiation. A comparative study of two groups of patients (with and without brachytherapy with stage III pancreatic cancer according to the TNM scale was taken in consideration. Results and Conclusions: The authors claim that the modification of catheter implantation using specially designed cannula, facilitates the process of inserting the catheter into the tumor, shortens the time needed for the procedure, and reduces the risk of complications. Mean survival time was 5.7 months. In the group of performed brachytherapy, the mean survival time was 6.7 months, while in the group of no brachytherapy performed – 4.4 months. In the group of brachytherapy, only one patient increased the dose of painkillers in the last month of his life. Remaining patients took constant doses of medicines. Perioperative HDR-Ir192 brachytherapy could be considered as a practical application of adjuvant therapy for pain relief in patients with an advanced pancreatic cancer.

  9. Differential diagnosis of focal pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Gulik, T. M.; Moojen, T. M.; van Geenen, R.; Rauws, E. A.; Obertop, H.; Gouma, D. J.

    1999-01-01

    The differentiation of focal, chronic pancreatitis (CP) and pancreatic cancer (PAC) poses a diagnostic dilemma. Both conditions may present with the same symptoms and signs. The complexity of differential diagnosis is enhanced because PAC is frequently associated with secondary inflammatory changes

  10. Indicative findings of pancreatic cancer in prediagnostic CT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ahn, Sung Soo; Choi, Jin-Young; Hong, Hye-Suk; Chung, Yong Eun; Lim, Joon Seok; Kim, Myeong-Jin

    2009-01-01

    We examined 20 prediagnostic CTs from 16 patients for whom the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer was delayed until full diagnostic CT was performed. Three radiologists independently reviewed the prediagnostic CTs along with 50 CTs of control subjects, including patients without pancreatic disease (n = 38) or with chronic pancreatitis without calcification visible on CT (n=12). The reviewers recorded the presence of biliary or pancreatic ductal dilation, interruption of the pancreatic duct, distal parenchymal atrophy, contour abnormality and focal hypoattenuation. Frequency, sensitivity and specificity of the significant findings were calculated. Logistic regression analysis was performed. Findings indicative of pancreatic cancer were seen on 85% (17/20) of the prediagnostic CTs. Patients with pancreatic cancer were significantly (p<0.05) more likely to show focal hypoattenuation, pancreatic duct dilation, interruption of the pancreatic duct, and distal parenchymal atrophy, with sensitivities and specificities of 75%/84%, 50%/78%, 45%/82% and 45%/96%, respectively. Focal hypoattenuation and distal parenchymal atrophy were the independent predictors of pancreatic cancer with odds ratios of 20.92 and 11.22, respectively. In conclusion, focal hypoattenuation and pancreatic duct dilation with or without interruption, especially when accompanied by distal parenchymal atrophy, were the most useful findings for avoiding delayed diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. (orig.)

  11. PCA-1/ALKBH3 contributes to pancreatic cancer by supporting apoptotic resistance and angiogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yamato, Ichiro; Sho, Masayuki; Shimada, Keiji; Hotta, Kiyohiko; Ueda, Yuko; Yasuda, Satoshi; Shigi, Naoko; Konishi, Noboru; Tsujikawa, Kazutake; Nakajima, Yoshiyuki

    2012-09-15

    The PCA-1/ALKBH3 gene implicated in DNA repair is expressed in several human malignancies but its precise contributions to cancer remain mainly unknown. In this study, we have determined its functions and clinical importance in pancreatic cancer. PCA-1/ALKBH3 functions in proliferation, apoptosis and angiogenesis were evaluated in human pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Further, PCA-1/ALKBH3 expression in 116 patients with pancreatic cancer was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. siRNA-mediated silencing of PCA-1/ALKBH3 expression induced apoptosis and suppressed cell proliferation. Conversely, overexpression of PCA-1/ALKBH3 increased anchorage-independent growth and invasiveness. In addition, PCA-1/ALKBH3 silencing downregulated VEGF expression and inhibited angiogenesis in vivo. Furthermore, immunohistochemical analysis showed that PCA-1/ALKBH3 expression was abundant in pancreatic cancer tissues, where it correlated with advanced tumor status, pathological stage and VEGF intensity. Importantly, patients with low positivity of PCA-1/ALKBH3 expression had improved postoperative prognosis compared with those with high positivity. Our results establish PCA-1/ALKBH3 as important gene in pancreatic cancer with potential utility as a therapeutic target in this fatal disease.

  12. Phytotherapeutics oridonin and ponicidin show additive effects combined with irradiation in pancreatic cancer in vitro

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Liermann Jakob

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available Chemoradiation of locally advanced non-metastatic pancreatic cancer can lead to secondary operability by tumor mass reduction. Here, we analyzed radiomodulating effects of oridonin and ponicidin in pancreatic cancer in vitro. Both agents are ent-kaurane diterpenoids, extracted from Isodon rubescens, a plant that is well known in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Cytotoxic effects have recently been shown in different tumor entities for both agents.

  13. Phase II study to assess the efficacy of conventionally fractionated radiotherapy followed by a stereotactic radiosurgery boost in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Koong, Albert C.; Christofferson, Erin; Le, Quynh-Thu; Goodman, Karyn A.; Ho, Anthony; Kuo, Timothy; Ford, James M.; Fisher, George A.; Greco, Ralph; Norton, Jeffrey; Yang, George P.

    2005-01-01

    Purpose: To determine the efficacy of concurrent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) followed by body stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Methods and Materials: In this prospective study, all patients (19) had pathologically confirmed adenocarcinoma and were uniformly staged. Our treatment protocol consisted of 45 Gy IMRT with concurrent 5-FU followed by a 25 Gy SRS boost to the primary tumor. Results: Sixteen patients completed the planned therapy. Two patients experienced Grade 3 toxicity (none had more than Grade 3 toxicity). Fifteen of these 16 patients were free from local progression until death. Median overall survival was 33 weeks. Conclusions: Concurrent IMRT and 5-FU followed by SRS in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer results in excellent local control, but does not improve overall survival and is associated with more toxicity than SRS, alone

  14. Tumor markers in pancreatic cancer: a European Group on Tumor Markers (EGTM) status report.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Duffy, M J

    2012-02-01

    Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is one of the most difficult malignancies to diagnose and treat. The aim of this article is to review how tumor markers can aid the diagnosis and management of patients with this malignancy. The most widely used and best validated marker for pancreatic cancer is CA 19-9. Inadequate sensitivity and specificity limit the use of CA 19-9 in the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. In non-jaundiced patients, however, CA 19-9 may complement other diagnostic procedures. In patients with resectable pancreatic cancer, presurgical and postresection CA 19-9 levels correlate with overall survival. In advanced disease, elevated pretreatment levels of CA 19-9 are associated with adverse patient outcome and thus may be combined with other factors for risk stratification. Most, but not all, reports indicate that serial levels of CA 19-9 correlate with response to systemic therapy. Use of CA 19-9 kinetics in conjunction with imaging is therefore recommended in monitoring therapy. Although several potential serum and tissue markers for pancreatic cancer are currently undergoing evaluation, none are sufficiently validated for routine clinical use. CA 19-9 thus remains the serum pancreatic cancer marker against which new markers for this malignancy should be judged.

  15. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer. 1,000 mg/m{sup 2} gemcitabine can be administered using limited-field radiotherapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yamazaki, Hideya [Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease, Osaka (Japan). Dept. of Radiation Oncology; National Hospital Organization, Osaka National Hospital, Osaka (Japan). Dept. of Radiology; Nishiyama, Kinji; Koizumi, Masahiko; Tanaka, Eiichi [Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease, Osaka (Japan). Dept. of Radiation Oncology; Ioka, Tatsuya; Uehara, Hiroyuki; Iishi, Hiroyasu; Nakaizumi, Akihiko [Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease, Osaka (Japan). Dept. of Internal Medicine; Ohigashi, Hiroaki; Ishikawa, Osamu [Osaka Medical Center for Cancer and Cardiovascular Disease, Osaka (Japan). Dept. of Surgery

    2007-06-15

    Purpose: To examine the feasibility of concurrent use of full-dose gemcitabine (GEM) and radiotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer. Patient and Methods: 22 patients with advanced pancreatic cancer were subjected to concurrent chemoradiotherapy (GEM 1,000 mg/m2 weekly, three times during 4 weeks). They received limited-field irradiation by three-dimensional radiotherapy planning. Results: Of the 22 patients, 16 (72%) completed the treatment (50 Gy irradiation and at least three times concurrent administration of 1 g/m{sup 2} GEM). One patient with unresectable tail cancer showed peritonitis carcinomatosa and both chemotherapy and radiotherapy had to be stopped. Dose reduction or omission of GEM was necessary in another four patients. In addition, radiotherapy was discontinued in one patient for fatigue. Grade 3 hematologic toxicity was detected in eight patients (36%), and grade 3 nonhematologic toxicity (anorexia) in one patient (5%). In total, the response rate amounted to 32% (seven partial responses), and the median survival time (MST) was 16 months. Among the twelve patients who received preoperative chemoradiotherapy, nine underwent surgery and showed a survival rate of 78% at 1 year. Another 13 patients without surgery showed 14 months of MST. No regional lymph node failure has appeared so far. Conclusion: Limited-field radiotherapy enables the safe concurrent administration of 1,000 mg/m{sup 2} GEM.

  16. Stages of Pancreatic Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... overweight. Having a personal history of diabetes or chronic pancreatitis . Having a family history of pancreatic cancer or ... have not started treatment. Five types of standard treatment are used: Surgery ... Whipple procedure : A surgical procedure in which the head of the pancreas , ...

  17. Current radiotherapeutic approaches to pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dobelbower, R.R. Jr.

    1981-01-01

    Adenocarcinoma of the pancreas is not a radioresistant neoplasm, as was once believed. The data now suggest that in some instances this cancer may be radiocurable. This fact seems to justify the risk of pancreatic biopsy even in the face of unresectable disease, for it is well known that many benign conditions imitate pancreatic cancer. Clinical benefit from radiation for pancreatic cancer treatment is dose related. Careful delineation of tumor margins, precision treatment planning, and precision dose delivery can minimize damage to adjacent normal tissues. Interstitial implantation and intraoperative electron beam therapy are being studied as methods of accurate dose delivery for pancreatic cancer. Fractionation studies and high LET studies are in embryonic stages. Combined modality regimens may have much to offer in terms of improved palliation and survival for patients with localized adenocarcinoma of the pancreas

  18. Chinese Herbal Medicines as an Adjunctive Therapy for Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bin Li

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is a common malignancy with a high mortality. Most patients present clinically with advanced pancreatic cancer. Moreover, the effect of radiotherapy or chemotherapy is limited. Complementary and alternative medicines represent exciting adjunctive therapies. In this study, we ascertained the beneficial and adverse effects of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM in combination with conventional therapy for inoperable pancreatic cancer by using meta-analysis methods for controlled clinical trials. We extracted data for studies searched from six electronic databases that were searched and also assessed the methodological quality of the included studies. We evaluated the following outcome measures: 6-month and 1-year survival rate, objective response rate, disease control rate, quality of life, and adverse effects. The final analysis showed CHM is a promising strategy as an adjunctive therapy to treat advanced or inoperable pancreatic cancer and that CHM in combination with conventional therapy is a promising strategy for resistant disease. However, convincing evidence must be obtained and confirmed by high-quality trials in future studies.

  19. Nutritional status of patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer: a pilot study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ferrucci, Leah M; Bell, Diana; Thornton, Jennifer; Black, Glenda; McCorkle, Ruth; Heimburger, Douglas C; Saif, Muhammad Wasif

    2011-11-01

    Nutritional status may influence quality of life and prognosis among pancreatic cancer patients, yet few studies describe measures of nutritional status during treatment. We evaluated the nutritional status of locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) patients undergoing chemoradiotherapy who received baseline nutritional assessment and counseling. Fourteen newly diagnosed LAPC patients enrolled in phase I/II trials of capecitabine with concomitant radiotherapy were assessed for baseline clinical nutrition measures (body mass index, albumin, weight loss, total energy, and protein intake). Participants completed the Anorexia/Cachexia Subscale (A/CS) questionnaire at baseline and during the 6 weeks of treatment. We evaluated associations between baseline characteristics and subsequent A/CS scores with linear regression and changes in A/CS were assessed with the paired t test. We observed a statistically significant increase in mean A/CS between baseline [24.9, standard deviation (SD) = 9.7] and end of treatment (29.9, SD = 6.2). Controlling for baseline A/CS score, only weight loss greater than 5% of body weight over 1 month was associated with A/CS scores at 6 weeks (β = 10.558, standard error = 3.307, p value = 0.009) and mean A/CS scores during the last 3 weeks of treatment (β = 12.739, standard error = 2.251, p value = 0.001). After 6 weeks of chemoradiotherapy, LAPC patients reported a statistically significant improvement in appetite and weight concerns. Increases in AC/S scores were associated with higher baseline A/CS scores and weight loss of 5% or more during 1 month. Further research is needed to determine the impact of nutritional support during treatment, as improvements in this domain may impact LAPC patients' overall quality of life.

  20. Pancreatic cancer risk in hereditary pancreatitis

    OpenAIRE

    Weiss, Frank U.

    2014-01-01

    Inflammation is part of the body’s immune response in order to remove harmful stimuli – like pathogens, irritants or damaged cells - and start the healing process. Recurrent or chronic inflammation on the other side seems a predisposing factor for carcinogenesis and has been found associated with cancer development. In chronic pancreatitis mutations of the cationic trypsinogen (PRSS1) gene have been identified as risk factors of the disease. Hereditary pancreatitis is a rare cause of chronic...

  1. Alcohol and the pancreas. II. Pancreatic morphology of advanced alcoholic pancreatitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noronha, M; Bordalo, O; Dreiling, D A

    1981-08-01

    The histopathology of advanced chronic alcoholic pancreatitis is dominated by cellular degeneration, atrophy and fibrosis. Sequential changes in the histopathology of alcoholic pancreatic disease has been defined and traced from initial injury to end-stage disease. These sequential histopathologies have been correlated with clinical syndrome and secretory patterns. The data are more consistent with a toxic-metabolic pathogenesis of alcoholic pancreatitis than the previous Big Duct and Small Duct hypotheses.

  2. Screening Technologies for Target Identification in Pancreatic Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Michl, Patrick, E-mail: michlp@med.uni-marburg.de; Ripka, Stefanie; Gress, Thomas; Buchholz, Malte [Department of Gastroenterology and Endocrinology, University Hospital, Philipps-University Marburg, Baldinger Strasse, D-35043 Marburg (Germany)

    2010-12-29

    Pancreatic cancer exhibits an extraordinarily high level of resistance to almost any kind of systemic therapy evaluated in clinical trials so far. Therefore, the identification of novel therapeutic targets is urgently required. High-throughput screens have emerged as an important tool to identify putative targets for diagnosis and therapy in an unbiased manner. More than a decade ago, microarray technology was introduced to identify differentially expressed genes in pancreatic cancer as compared to normal pancreas, chronic pancreatitis and other cancer types located in close proximity to the pancreas. In addition, proteomic screens have facilitated the identification of differentially secreted proteins in body fluids of pancreatic cancer patients, serving as possible biomarkers. Recently, RNA interference-based loss-of-function screens have been used to identify functionally relevant genes, whose knock-down has impact on pancreatic cancer cell viability, thereby representing potential new targets for therapeutic intervention. This review summarizes recent results of transcriptional, proteomic and functional screens in pancreatic cancer and discusses potentials and limitations of the respective technologies as well as their impact on future therapeutic developments.

  3. Screening Technologies for Target Identification in Pancreatic Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Michl, Patrick; Ripka, Stefanie; Gress, Thomas; Buchholz, Malte

    2010-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer exhibits an extraordinarily high level of resistance to almost any kind of systemic therapy evaluated in clinical trials so far. Therefore, the identification of novel therapeutic targets is urgently required. High-throughput screens have emerged as an important tool to identify putative targets for diagnosis and therapy in an unbiased manner. More than a decade ago, microarray technology was introduced to identify differentially expressed genes in pancreatic cancer as compared to normal pancreas, chronic pancreatitis and other cancer types located in close proximity to the pancreas. In addition, proteomic screens have facilitated the identification of differentially secreted proteins in body fluids of pancreatic cancer patients, serving as possible biomarkers. Recently, RNA interference-based loss-of-function screens have been used to identify functionally relevant genes, whose knock-down has impact on pancreatic cancer cell viability, thereby representing potential new targets for therapeutic intervention. This review summarizes recent results of transcriptional, proteomic and functional screens in pancreatic cancer and discusses potentials and limitations of the respective technologies as well as their impact on future therapeutic developments

  4. Multislice CT for preoperative diagnosis of pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Horiguchi, Akihiko; Ishihara, Shin; Ito, Masahiro

    2007-01-01

    We investigated the ability of multislice (MS) CT to visualize and diagnose the progression of pancreatic cancer. With regard to local progression, good diagnosis was possible for detecting the invasion of the intrapancreatic bile duct, duodenum, portal vein, arteries and other organs, and liver metastasis. Sensitivity was high but specificity was not good for detecting the invasion of the anterior and posterior pancreatic tissue. This is thought to be because of the positive diagnosis with pancreatitis that accompanies cancer. Pancreatic plexus invasion was also thought to be a cause of the lipid elevation of the nerve plexus and decreased sensitivity accompanying pancreatitis. Identification of cancer invasion and tumor periphery changes based on concomitant pancreatitis also depends on the amount of fibrous stroma, but this will require further investigation. Factors other than the size of lymph node metastases also need to be investigated. MS-CT can provide detailed volume data in a short time and making it an essential test in diagnosing the stage of pancreatic cancer. (author)

  5. Improvement of cancer cachexia with chemothermotherapy in a patient with advanced pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takara, Minoru; Akao, Jumpei; Naito, Takeo; Kohno, Tsunefumi; Hirata, Hiroshi

    2007-01-01

    The ultimate goal of cancer treatment is to achieve a complete eradication of the cancer. However, patients with terminal cancer are also treated to obtain an improvement in their quality of life (QOL). In this report, we describe the dramatic response of an end-stage pancreatic cancer patient with cachexia to a combination of hyperthermia (HT) and chemotherapy (CH). The patient was treated with a combination of intermittent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/cisplatin (CDDP) therapy and HT. Three months later, the local recurrent cancer had disappeared, the liver metastases were reduced by 80%, the lung metastatic lesion was markedly reduced, tumor markers had returned to normal, and the cachexia had been almost reversed. Performance status (PS) improved from 4 to 1, QOL improved, and the patient survived until his 258th hospital day. In this patient, the combination of CH and HT was useful not only for improvement of cachexia, but also for tumor reduction. A possible mechanism leading to this effect is discussed. (author)

  6. Improvement of cancer cachexia with chemothermotherapy in a patient with advanced pancreatic cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Takara, Minoru; Akao, Jumpei; Naito, Takeo; Kohno, Tsunefumi [Matsuyama West Hospital, Matsuyama, Ehime (Japan); Hirata, Hiroshi [Yamaguchi Univ., School of Medicine, Ube, Yamaguchi (Japan)

    2007-12-15

    The ultimate goal of cancer treatment is to achieve a complete eradication of the cancer. However, patients with terminal cancer are also treated to obtain an improvement in their quality of life (QOL). In this report, we describe the dramatic response of an end-stage pancreatic cancer patient with cachexia to a combination of hyperthermia (HT) and chemotherapy (CH). The patient was treated with a combination of intermittent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)/cisplatin (CDDP) therapy and HT. Three months later, the local recurrent cancer had disappeared, the liver metastases were reduced by 80%, the lung metastatic lesion was markedly reduced, tumor markers had returned to normal, and the cachexia had been almost reversed. Performance status (PS) improved from 4 to 1, QOL improved, and the patient survived until his 258th hospital day. In this patient, the combination of CH and HT was useful not only for improvement of cachexia, but also for tumor reduction. A possible mechanism leading to this effect is discussed. (author)

  7. RISK FACTORS FOR PANCREATIC CANCER: UNDERLYING MECHANISMS AND POTENTIAL TARGETS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Thomas eKolodecik

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Purpose of the review:Pancreatic cancer is extremely aggressive, forming highly chemo-resistant tumors, and has one of the worst prognoses. The evolution of this cancer is multi-factorial. Repeated acute pancreatic injury and inflammation are important contributing factors in the development of pancreatic cancer. This article attempts to understand the common pathways linking pancreatitis to pancreatic cancer.Recent Findings:Intracellular activation of both pancreatic enzymes and the transcription factor NF-kB are important mechanisms that induce acute pancreatitis. Recurrent pancreatic injury due to genetic susceptibility, environmental factors such as smoking, alcohol intake, and conditions such as obesity lead to increases in oxidative stress, impaired autophagy and constitutive activation of inflammatory pathways. These processes can stimulate pancreatic stellate cells, thereby increasing fibrosis and encouraging chronic disease development. Activation of oncogneic Kras mutations through inflammation, coupled with altered levels of tumor suppressor proteins (p53 and p16 can ultimately lead to development of pancreatic cancer. Summary:Although our understanding of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer has tremendously increased over many years, much remains to be elucidated in terms of common pathways linking these conditions.

  8. Gemcitabine Chemotherapy and Single-Fraction Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy for Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schellenberg, Devin; Goodman, Karyn A.; Lee, Florence; Chang, Stephanie; Kuo, Timothy; Ford, James M.; Fisher, George A.; Quon, Andrew; Desser, Terry S.; Norton, Jeffrey; Greco, Ralph; Yang, George P.; Koong, Albert C.

    2008-01-01

    Purpose: Fractionated radiotherapy and chemotherapy for locally advanced pancreatic cancer achieves only modest local control. This prospective trial evaluated the efficacy of a single fraction of 25 Gy stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) delivered between Cycle 1 and 2 of gemcitabine chemotherapy. Methods and Materials: A total of 16 patients with locally advanced, nonmetastatic, pancreatic adenocarcinoma received gemcitabine with SBRT delivered 2 weeks after completion of the first cycle. Gemcitabine was resumed 2 weeks after SBRT and was continued until progression or dose-limiting toxicity. The gross tumor volume, with a 2-3-mm margin, was treated in a single 25-Gy fraction by Cyberknife. Patients were evaluated at 4-6 weeks, 10-12 weeks, and every 3 months after SBRT. Results: All 16 patients completed SBRT. A median of four cycles (range one to nine) of chemotherapy was delivered. Three patients (19%) developed local disease progression at 14, 16, and 21 months after SBRT. The median survival was 11.4 months, with 50% of patients alive at 1 year. Patients with normal carbohydrate antigen (CA)19-9 levels either at diagnosis or after Cyberknife SBRT had longer survival (p <0.01). Acute gastrointestinal toxicity was mild, with 2 cases of Grade 2 (13%) and 1 of Grade 3 (6%) toxicity. Late gastrointestinal toxicity was more common, with five ulcers (Grade 2), one duodenal stenosis (Grade 3), and one duodenal perforation (Grade 4). A trend toward increased duodenal volumes radiated was observed in those experiencing late effects (p = 0.13). Conclusion: SBRT with gemcitabine resulted in comparable survival to conventional chemoradiotherapy and good local control. However, the rate of duodenal ulcer development was significant

  9. Safety and efficacy of enzyme targeting intraoperative radiosensitization therapy (KORTUC-IORT) for advanced pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishioka, Akihito; Hamada, Norihiko; Kariya, Shinji; Ogawa, Yasuhiro

    2012-01-01

    We developed a new radiosensitizer injection containing hydrogen peroxide and sodium hyaluronate just followed by intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) for locally advanced pancreatic cancer, named KORTUC-IORT (Kochi Oxydol-Radiation Therapy for Unresectable Carcinoma + IORT). Fourteen patients were treated with KORTUC-IORT, external beam radiotherapy (EBRT), and systemic chemotherapy. With KORTUC-IORT, the agent containing hydrogen peroxide and sodium hyaluronate, was injected into tumor tissue just prior to administration of IORT under ultrasonic guidance. All treatments related with KORTUC-IORT were well tolerated, with few adverse effects. One year survival rate is 67% and median survival period is 15 months. The present formulation can be delivered safely and effectively under the conditions used. (author)

  10. Chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapy in pancreatic cancer: from research to practice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jindal, Vishal; Arora, Ena; Masab, Muhammad; Gupta, Sorab

    2018-05-04

    Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapy is genetically engineered tumor antigen-specific anticancer immunotherapy, which after showing great success in hematological malignancies is currently being tried in advanced solid tumors like pancreatic cancer. Immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and dense fibrous stroma are some of the limitation in the success of this novel therapy. However, genetic modifications and combination therapy is the topic of the research to improve its efficacy. In this article, we summarize the current state of knowledge, limitations, and future prospects for CAR T cell therapy in pancreatic cancer.

  11. Preoperative/Neoadjuvant Therapy in Pancreatic Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Response and Resection Percentages

    OpenAIRE

    Gillen, Sonja; Schuster, Tibor; Meyer zum B?schenfelde, Christian; Friess, Helmut; Kleeff, J?rg

    2010-01-01

    Editors' Summary Background Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. It begins when a cell in the pancreas (an organ lying behind the stomach that produces digestive enzymes and hormones such as insulin that controls blood sugar levels) acquires genetic changes that allow it to grow uncontrollably and, sometimes, to spread around the body (metastasize). Because pancreatic cancer rarely causes any symptoms early in its development, it is locally advance...

  12. Biomarkers and Targeted Therapy in Pancreatic Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fataneh Karandish

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC constitutes 90% of pancreatic cancers. PDAC is a complex and devastating disease with only 1%–3% survival rate in five years after the second stage. Treatment of PDAC is complicated due to the tumor microenvironment, changing cell behaviors to the mesenchymal type, altered drug delivery, and drug resistance. Considering that pancreatic cancer shows early invasion and metastasis, critical research is needed to explore different aspects of the disease, such as elaboration of biomarkers, specific signaling pathways, and gene aberration. In this review, we highlight the biomarkers, the fundamental signaling pathways, and their importance in targeted drug delivery for pancreatic cancers.

  13. Biomarkers and Targeted Therapy in Pancreatic Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karandish, Fataneh; Mallik, Sanku

    2016-01-01

    Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) constitutes 90% of pancreatic cancers. PDAC is a complex and devastating disease with only 1%-3% survival rate in five years after the second stage. Treatment of PDAC is complicated due to the tumor microenvironment, changing cell behaviors to the mesenchymal type, altered drug delivery, and drug resistance. Considering that pancreatic cancer shows early invasion and metastasis, critical research is needed to explore different aspects of the disease, such as elaboration of biomarkers, specific signaling pathways, and gene aberration. In this review, we highlight the biomarkers, the fundamental signaling pathways, and their importance in targeted drug delivery for pancreatic cancers.

  14. Role of chymotrypsin C in development and progression of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    LIU Zejie

    2016-11-01

    Full Text Available Chymotrypsin C (CTRC is a trypsinogen synthesized by pancreatic acinar cells and secreted by pancreatic duct cells and belongs to the family of serine chymotrypsin. The main function of CTRC is to regulate the balance between activation and degradation of trypsin and maintain the structural and functional integrity of the pancreas. CTRC gene mutations can cause abnormal activation of trypsinogen and abnormal degradation of trypsin and then lead to the development of pancreatitis. The downregulation or absence of CTRC expression may be associated with the development and metastasis of pancreatic cancer. This article introduces the structure and biological function of CTRC and its mechanism of action in the development and progression of pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.

  15. MicroRNA-gene signaling pathways in pancreatic cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alexandra Drakaki

    2013-10-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is the fourth most frequent cause of cancer-related deaths and is characterized by early metastasis and pronounced resistance to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Despite extensive esearch efforts, there is not any substantial progress regarding the identification of novel drugs against pancreatic cancer. Although the introduction of the chemotherapeutic agent gemcitabine improved clinical response, the prognosis of these patients remained extremely poor with a 5-year survival rate of 3-5%. Thus, the identification of the novel molecular pathways involved in pancreatic oncogenesis and the development of new and potent therapeutic options are highly desirable. Here, we describe how microRNAs control signaling pathways that are frequently deregulated during pancreatic oncogenesis. In addition, we provide evidence that microRNAs could be potentially used as novel pancreatic cancer therapeutics through reversal of chemotherapy and radiotherapy resistance or regulation of essential molecular pathways. Further studies should integrate the deregulated genes and microRNAs into molecular networks in order to identify the central regulators of pancreatic oncogenesis. Targeting these central regulators could lead to the development of novel targeted therapeutic approaches for pancreatic cancer patients.

  16. TGF-β Blockade Reduces Mortality and Metabolic Changes in a Validated Murine Model of Pancreatic Cancer Cachexia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greco, Stephanie H; Tomkötter, Lena; Vahle, Anne-Kristin; Rokosh, Rae; Avanzi, Antonina; Mahmood, Syed Kashif; Deutsch, Michael; Alothman, Sara; Alqunaibit, Dalia; Ochi, Atsuo; Zambirinis, Constantinos; Mohaimin, Tasnima; Rendon, Mauricio; Levie, Elliot; Pansari, Mridul; Torres-Hernandez, Alejandro; Daley, Donnele; Barilla, Rocky; Pachter, H Leon; Tippens, Daniel; Malik, Hassan; Boutajangout, Allal; Wisniewski, Thomas; Miller, George

    2015-01-01

    Cancer cachexia is a debilitating condition characterized by a combination of anorexia, muscle wasting, weight loss, and malnutrition. This condition affects an overwhelming majority of patients with pancreatic cancer and is a primary cause of cancer-related death. However, few, if any, effective therapies exist for both treatment and prevention of this syndrome. In order to develop novel therapeutic strategies for pancreatic cancer cachexia, appropriate animal models are necessary. In this study, we developed and validated a syngeneic, metastatic, murine model of pancreatic cancer cachexia. Using our model, we investigated the ability of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) blockade to mitigate the metabolic changes associated with cachexia. We found that TGF-β inhibition using the anti-TGF-β antibody 1D11.16.8 significantly improved overall mortality, weight loss, fat mass, lean body mass, bone mineral density, and skeletal muscle proteolysis in mice harboring advanced pancreatic cancer. Other immunotherapeutic strategies we employed were not effective. Collectively, we validated a simplified but useful model of pancreatic cancer cachexia to investigate immunologic treatment strategies. In addition, we showed that TGF-β inhibition can decrease the metabolic changes associated with cancer cachexia and improve overall survival.

  17. TGF-β Blockade Reduces Mortality and Metabolic Changes in a Validated Murine Model of Pancreatic Cancer Cachexia.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stephanie H Greco

    Full Text Available Cancer cachexia is a debilitating condition characterized by a combination of anorexia, muscle wasting, weight loss, and malnutrition. This condition affects an overwhelming majority of patients with pancreatic cancer and is a primary cause of cancer-related death. However, few, if any, effective therapies exist for both treatment and prevention of this syndrome. In order to develop novel therapeutic strategies for pancreatic cancer cachexia, appropriate animal models are necessary. In this study, we developed and validated a syngeneic, metastatic, murine model of pancreatic cancer cachexia. Using our model, we investigated the ability of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β blockade to mitigate the metabolic changes associated with cachexia. We found that TGF-β inhibition using the anti-TGF-β antibody 1D11.16.8 significantly improved overall mortality, weight loss, fat mass, lean body mass, bone mineral density, and skeletal muscle proteolysis in mice harboring advanced pancreatic cancer. Other immunotherapeutic strategies we employed were not effective. Collectively, we validated a simplified but useful model of pancreatic cancer cachexia to investigate immunologic treatment strategies. In addition, we showed that TGF-β inhibition can decrease the metabolic changes associated with cancer cachexia and improve overall survival.

  18. TGF-β Blockade Reduces Mortality and Metabolic Changes in a Validated Murine Model of Pancreatic Cancer Cachexia

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rokosh, Rae; Avanzi, Antonina; Mahmood, Syed Kashif; Deutsch, Michael; Alothman, Sara; Alqunaibit, Dalia; Ochi, Atsuo; Zambirinis, Constantinos; Mohaimin, Tasnima; Rendon, Mauricio; Levie, Elliot; Pansari, Mridul; Torres-Hernandez, Alejandro; Daley, Donnele; Barilla, Rocky; Pachter, H. Leon; Tippens, Daniel; Malik, Hassan; Boutajangout, Allal; Wisniewski, Thomas; Miller, George

    2015-01-01

    Cancer cachexia is a debilitating condition characterized by a combination of anorexia, muscle wasting, weight loss, and malnutrition. This condition affects an overwhelming majority of patients with pancreatic cancer and is a primary cause of cancer-related death. However, few, if any, effective therapies exist for both treatment and prevention of this syndrome. In order to develop novel therapeutic strategies for pancreatic cancer cachexia, appropriate animal models are necessary. In this study, we developed and validated a syngeneic, metastatic, murine model of pancreatic cancer cachexia. Using our model, we investigated the ability of transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) blockade to mitigate the metabolic changes associated with cachexia. We found that TGF-β inhibition using the anti-TGF-β antibody 1D11.16.8 significantly improved overall mortality, weight loss, fat mass, lean body mass, bone mineral density, and skeletal muscle proteolysis in mice harboring advanced pancreatic cancer. Other immunotherapeutic strategies we employed were not effective. Collectively, we validated a simplified but useful model of pancreatic cancer cachexia to investigate immunologic treatment strategies. In addition, we showed that TGF-β inhibition can decrease the metabolic changes associated with cancer cachexia and improve overall survival. PMID:26172047

  19. Exosomes Derived From Pancreatic Stellate Cells: MicroRNA Signature and Effects on Pancreatic Cancer Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Takikawa, Tetsuya; Masamune, Atsushi; Yoshida, Naoki; Hamada, Shin; Kogure, Takayuki; Shimosegawa, Tooru

    2017-01-01

    Pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) interact with pancreatic cancer cells in the tumor microenvironment. Cell constituents including microRNAs may be exported from cells within membranous nanovesicles termed exosomes. Exosomes might play a pivotal role in intercellular communication. This study aimed to clarify the microRNA signature of PSC-derived exosomes and their effects on pancreatic cancer cells. Exosomes were prepared from the conditioned medium of immortalized human PSCs. MicroRNAs were prepared from the exosomes and their source PSCs, and the microRNA expression profiles were compared by microarray. The effects of PSC-derived exosomes on proliferation, migration, and the mRNA expression profiles were examined in pancreatic cancer cells. Pancreatic stellate cell-derived exosomes contained a variety of microRNAs including miR-21-5p. Several microRNAs such as miR-451a were enriched in exosomes compared to their source PSCs. Pancreatic stellate cell-derived exosomes stimulated the proliferation, migration and expression of mRNAs for chemokine (C - X - C motif) ligands 1 and 2 in pancreatic cancer cells. The stimulation of proliferation, migration, and chemokine gene expression by the conditioned medium of PSCs was suppressed by GW4869, an exosome inhibitor. We clarified the microRNA expression profile in PSC-derived exosomes. Pancreatic stellate cell-derived exosomes might play a role in the interactions between PSCs and pancreatic cancer cells.

  20. Extended Distal Pancreatectomy with En Bloc Resection of the Celiac Axis for Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Patrick H. Alizai

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Due to a lack of early symptoms, pancreatic cancers of the body and tail are discovered mostly at advanced stages. These locally advanced cancers often involve the celiac axis or the common hepatic artery and are therefore declared unresectable. The extended distal pancreatectomy with en bloc resection of the celiac artery may offer a chance of complete resection. We present the case of a 48-year-old female with pancreatic body cancer invading the celiac axis. The patient underwent laparoscopy to exclude hepatic and peritoneal metastasis. Subsequently, a selective embolization of the common hepatic artery was performed to enlarge arterial flow to the hepatobiliary system and the stomach via the pancreatoduodenal arcades from the superior mesenteric artery. Fifteen days after embolization, the extended distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy and en bloc resection of the celiac axis was carried out. The postoperative course was uneventful, and complete tumor resection was achieved. This case report and a review of the literature show the feasibility and safety of the extended distal pancreatectomy with en bloc resection of the celiac axis. A preoperative embolization of the celiac axis may avoid ischemia-related complications of the stomach or the liver.

  1. Factors Affecting Adjuvant Therapy in Stage III Pancreatic Cancer—Analysis of the National Cancer Database

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mridula Krishnan

    2017-08-01

    Full Text Available Background: Adjuvant therapy after curative resection is associated with survival benefit in stage III pancreatic cancer. We analyzed the factors affecting the outcome of adjuvant therapy in stage III pancreatic cancer and compared overall survival with different modalities of adjuvant treatment. Methods: This is a retrospective study of patients with stage III pancreatic cancer listed in the National Cancer Database (NCDB who were diagnosed between 2004 and 2012. Patients were stratified based on adjuvant therapy they received. Unadjusted Kaplan-Meier and multivariable Cox regression analysis were performed. Results: We analyzed a cohort included 1731 patients who were recipients of adjuvant therapy for stage III pancreatic cancer within the limits of our database. Patients who received adjuvant chemoradiation had the longest postdiagnosis survival time, followed by patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy, and finally patients who received no adjuvant therapy. On multivariate analysis, advancing age and patients with Medicaid had worse survival, whereas Spanish origin and lower Charlson comorbidity score had better survival. Conclusions: Our study is the largest trial using the NCDB addressing the effects of adjuvant therapy specifically in stage III pancreatic cancer. Within the limits of our study, survival benefit with adjuvant therapy was more apparent with longer duration from date of diagnosis.

  2. Targeting Cancer Stem Cells and Their Niche: Current Therapeutic Implications and Challenges in Pancreatic Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jiangang Zhao

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Cancer stem cells (CSCs have been identified as a subpopulation of stem-like cancer cells with the ability of self-renewal and differentiation in hematological malignancies and solid tumors. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal cancers worldwide. CSCs are thought to be responsible for cancer initiation, progression, metastasis, chemoresistance, and recurrence in pancreatic cancer. In this review, we summarize the characteristics of pancreatic CSCs and discuss the mechanisms involved in resistance to chemotherapy, the interactions with the niche, and the potential role in cancer immunoediting. We propose that immunotherapy targeting pancreatic CSCs, in combination with targeting the niche components, may provide a novel treatment strategy to eradicate pancreatic CSCs and hence improve outcomes in pancreatic cancer.

  3. Association between allergies and risk of pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cotterchio, Michelle; Lowcock, Elizabeth; Hudson, Thomas J; Greenwood, Celia; Gallinger, Steven

    2014-03-01

    Less than 10% of pancreatic cancer cases survive 5 years, yet its etiology is not well understood. Studies suggest allergies are associated with reduced pancreatic cancer risk. Our study collected additional information on allergies (including skin prick test results and differentiation of allergic/nonallergic asthma), and is the first to assess possible confounding by allergy medications. A population-based case-control study was designed to comprehensively assess the association between allergy and pancreatic cancer risk. Pancreas cancer cases were diagnosed during 2011 to 2012, and identified through the Ontario Cancer Registry (345 cases). Population-based controls were identified using random digit dialing and age/sex frequency matched to cases (1,285 controls). Questionnaires collected lifetime allergy history (type of allergy, age at onset, skin prick testing results), allergy medications, and established pancreas cancer risk factors. Logistic regression was used to estimate odd ratios and test potential confounders, including allergy medications. Hay fever was associated with a significant reduction in pancreatic cancer risk [AOR = 0.68; 95% confidence intervals (CI), 0.52-0.89], and reduction was greatest for those whose skin prick test was positive for hay fever allergens. No particular patterns were observed as regards age at onset and duration of allergy. Positive dust/mold allergy skin prick test and animal allergies were associated with a statistically significant reduced pancreatic cancer risk; AOR = 0.49; 95% CI, 0.31-0.78 and AOR = 0.68; 95% CI, 0.46-0.99, respectively. Asthma was not associated with pancreatic cancer risk. These findings support the growing body of evidence that suggests certain allergies are associated with reduced pancreatic cancer risk. ©2014 AACR.

  4. Vitamin D metabolic pathway genes and pancreatic cancer risk.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hannah Arem

    Full Text Available Evidence on the association between vitamin D status and pancreatic cancer risk is inconsistent. This inconsistency may be partially attributable to variation in vitamin D regulating genes. We selected 11 vitamin D-related genes (GC, DHCR7, CYP2R1, VDR, CYP27B1, CYP24A1, CYP27A1, RXRA, CRP2, CASR and CUBN totaling 213 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs, and examined associations with pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Our study included 3,583 pancreatic cancer cases and 7,053 controls from the genome-wide association studies of pancreatic cancer PanScans-I-III. We used the Adaptive Joint Test and the Adaptive Rank Truncated Product statistic for pathway and gene analyses, and unconditional logistic regression for SNP analyses, adjusting for age, sex, study and population stratification. We examined effect modification by circulating vitamin D concentration (≤50, >50 nmol/L for the most significant SNPs using a subset of cohort cases (n = 713 and controls (n = 878. The vitamin D metabolic pathway was not associated with pancreatic cancer risk (p = 0.830. Of the individual genes, none were associated with pancreatic cancer risk at a significance level of p<0.05. SNPs near the VDR (rs2239186, LRP2 (rs4668123, CYP24A1 (rs2762932, GC (rs2282679, and CUBN (rs1810205 genes were the top SNPs associated with pancreatic cancer (p-values 0.008-0.037, but none were statistically significant after adjusting for multiple comparisons. Associations between these SNPs and pancreatic cancer were not modified by circulating concentrations of vitamin D. These findings do not support an association between vitamin D-related genes and pancreatic cancer risk. Future research should explore other pathways through which vitamin D status might be associated with pancreatic cancer risk.

  5. Early detection of sporadic pancreatic cancer: strategic map for innovation--a white paper.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenner, Barbara J; Chari, Suresh T; Cleeter, Deborah F; Go, Vay Liang W

    2015-07-01

    Innovation leading to significant advances in research and subsequent translation to clinical practice is urgently necessary in early detection of sporadic pancreatic cancer. Addressing this need, the Early Detection of Sporadic Pancreatic Cancer Summit Conference was conducted by Kenner Family Research Fund in conjunction with the 2014 American Pancreatic Association and Japan Pancreas Society Meeting. International interdisciplinary scientific representatives engaged in strategic facilitated conversations based on distinct areas of inquiry: Case for Early Detection: Definitions, Detection, Survival, and Challenges; Biomarkers for Early Detection; Imaging; and Collaborative Studies. Ideas generated from the summit have led to the development of a Strategic Map for Innovation built upon 3 components: formation of an international collaborative effort, design of an actionable strategic plan, and implementation of operational standards, research priorities, and first-phase initiatives. Through invested and committed efforts of leading researchers and institutions, philanthropic partners, government agencies, and supportive business entities, this endeavor will change the future of the field and consequently the survival rate of those diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

  6. The Hemostasis Apparatus in Pancreatic Cancer and Its Importance beyond Thrombosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Echrish, Hussein; Madden, Leigh A.; Greenman, John; Maraveyas, Anthony

    2011-01-01

    Laboratory evidence of aberrant coagulation is found in the majority of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer and a clinical consequence of this is the high incidence and prevalence of vascular thromboembolic events. Other sequelae are hypothesized to be the facilitation and acceleration of mechanisms that define the malignant phenotype, such as invasion, trafficking and anchoring, establishing the metastatic niche and inducing angiogenesis. We review the in vitro and preclinical evidence that supports the role of the coagulation apparatus in the metastatic process of pancreatic cancer, with a particular emphasis on interaction of this pathway with clinically-targeted growth factor receptor pathways. Links between hemostasis, angiogenesis and epidermal growth factor pathways and their significance as therapeutic targets are considered

  7. Development of the PANVAC-VF vaccine for pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Petrulio, Christian A; Kaufman, Howard L

    2006-02-01

    PANVAC-VF is a vaccine regimen composed of a priming dose of recombinant vaccinia virus and booster doses of recombinant fowlpox virus expressing carcinoembryonic antigen, mucin-1 and a triad of costimulatory molecules (TRICOM), which include B7.1, intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and leukocyte function-associated antigen-3. Vaccination is administered by subcutaneous injection followed by 4 days of local recombinant adjuvant granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor at the vaccination site. The vaccine has been developed for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer and has now entered a randomized Phase III clinical trial. This review will describe the background of recombinant poxvirus technology for tumor vaccine development, detail the key preclinical studies supporting the regimen, review the clinical trials supporting the current Phase III study, and highlight the key challenges and future obstacles to successful implementation of PANVAC-VF for pancreatic cancer.

  8. Pancreatic cancer clinical trials and accrual in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hoos, William A; James, Porsha M; Rahib, Lola; Talley, Anitra W; Fleshman, Julie M; Matrisian, Lynn M

    2013-09-20

    Pancreatic cancer clinical trials open in the United States and their accrual were examined to identify opportunities to accelerate progress in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer-specific clinical trials open in the United States in the years 2011 and 2012 were obtained from the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network database. Accrual information was obtained from trial sponsors. The portfolio of pancreatic cancer clinical trials identified by type (adenocarcinoma or neuroendocrine), phase, disease stage, and treatment approach is reported. More than half of trials for patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma applied biologic insights to new therapeutic approaches, and 38% focused on optimization of radiation or chemotherapy delivery or regimens. In 2011, pancreatic cancer trials required total enrollment of 11,786 patients. Actual accrual to 93.2% of trials was 1,804 patients, an estimated 4.57% of the patients with pancreatic cancer alive in that year. The greatest need was for patients with resectable cancer. Trials open in 2011 enrolled an average of 15% of their total target accrual. Physician recommendations greatly influenced patients' decision to enroll or not enroll onto a clinical trial. Matching to a clinical trial within a 50-mile radius and identifying trials for recurrent/refractory disease were documented as challenges for patient accrual. Overall trial enrollment indicates that pancreatic cancer trials open in 2011 would require 6.7 years on average to complete accrual. These results suggest that harmonizing patient supply and demand for clinical trials is required to accelerate progress toward improving survival in pancreatic cancer.

  9. Immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer: present and future.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aroldi, Francesca; Zaniboni, Alberto

    2017-06-01

    Despite the identification of some efficient drugs for the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer, this tumor remains one of the most lethal cancers and is characterized by a strong resistance to therapies. Pancreatic cancer has some unique features including the presence of a microenvironment filled with immunosuppressive mediators and a dense stroma, which is both a physical barrier to drug penetration and a dynamic entity involved in immune system control. Therefore, the immune system has been hypothesized to play an important role in pancreatic cancer. Thus, therapies acting on innate or adaptive immunity are being investigated. Here, we review the literature, report the most interesting results and hypothesize future treatment directions.

  10. Targeting Mcl-1 for Radiosensitization of Pancreatic Cancers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Dongping Wei

    2015-02-01

    Full Text Available In order to identify targets whose inhibition may enhance the efficacy of chemoradiation in pancreatic cancer, we previously conducted an RNAi library screen of 8,800 genes. We identified Mcl-1 (myeloid cell leukemia-1, an anti-apoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family, as a target for sensitizing pancreatic cancer cells to chemoradiation. In the present study we investigated Mcl-1 inhibition by either genetic or pharmacological approaches as a radiosensitizing strategy in pancreatic cancer cells. Mcl-1 depletion by siRNA produced significant radiosensitization in BxPC-3 and Panc-1 cells in association with Caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage, but only minimal radiosensitization in MiaPaCa-2 cells. We next tested the ability of the recently identified, selective, small molecule inhibitor of Mcl-1, UMI77, to radiosensitize in pancreatic cancer cells. UMI77 caused dissociation of Mcl-1 from the pro-apoptotic protein Bak and produced significant radiosensitization in BxPC-3 and Panc-1 cells, but minimal radiosensitization in MiaPaCa-2 cells. Radiosensitization by UMI77 was associated with Caspase-3 activation and PARP cleavage. Importantly, UMI77 did not radiosensitize normal small intestinal cells. In contrast, ABT-737, an established inhibitor of Bcl-2, Bcl-XL, and Bcl-w, failed to radiosensitize pancreatic cancer cells suggesting the unique importance of Mcl-1 relative to other Bcl-2 family members to radiation survival in pancreatic cancer cells. Taken together, these results validate Mcl-1 as a target for radiosensitization of pancreatic cancer cells and demonstrate the ability of small molecules which bind the canonical BH3 groove of Mcl-1, causing displacement of Mcl-1 from Bak, to selectively radiosensitize pancreatic cancer cells.

  11. Identification of distinct phenotypes of locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Teo, Minyuen

    2013-03-01

    A significant number of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma present as locally advanced disease. Optimal treatment remains controversial. We sought to analyze the clinical course of locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma (LAPC) in order to identify potential distinct clinical phenotypes.

  12. Pancreatic cancer and depression: myth and truth

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Schmid Roland M

    2010-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Various studies reported remarkable high incidence rates of depression in cancer patients compared with the general population. Pancreatic cancer is still one of the malignancies with the worst prognosis and therefore it seems quite logical that it is one of the malignancies with the highest incidence rates of major depression. However, what about the scientific background of this relationship? Is depression in patients suffering from pancreatic cancer just due to the confrontation with a life threatening disease and its somatic symptoms or is depression in this particular group of patients a feature of pancreatic cancer per se? Discussion Several studies provide evidence of depression to precede the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and some studies even blame it for its detrimental influence on survival. The immense impact of emotional distress on quality of life of cancer patients enhances the need for its early diagnosis and adequate treatment. Knowledge about underlying pathophysiological mechanisms is required to provide the optimal therapy. Summary A review of the literature on this issue should reveal which are the facts and what is myth.

  13. A phase I dose-escalation study of lenalidomide in combination with gemcitabine in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Gustav J Ullenhag

    Full Text Available Lenalidomide have both immunomodulatory and anti-angiogenic properties which could confer anti-cancer effects. The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of combining lenalidomide with the standard treatment gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer patients with advanced disease.Eligible patients had locally advanced or metastatic adenocarcinoma of the pancreas. Patients received lenalidomide days 1-21 orally and gemcitabine 1000 mg/m2 intravenously (days 1, 8 and 15, each 28 day cycle. Three cohorts of lenalidomide were examined (Cohort I = 15 mg, Cohort II = 20 mg and Cohort III = 25 mg daily. The maximum tolerated dose (MTD of lenalidomide given in combination with gemcitabine was defined as the highest dose level at which no more than one out of four (25% subjects experiences a dose-limiting toxicity (DLT. Patients should also be able to receive daily low molecular weight heparin (LMWH (e.g. dalteparin 5000 IU s.c. daily as a prophylactic anticoagulant for venous thromboembolic events (VTEs. Twelve patients (n = 4, n = 3 and n = 5 in cohort I, II and III, respectively were enrolled in this study.Median duration of treatment was 11 weeks (range 1-66, and median number of treatment cycles were three (range 1-14. The only DLT was a cardiac failure grade 3 in cohort III. Frequent treatment-related adverse events (AEs (all grades included neutropenia, leucopenia and fatigue (83% each, but there was no febrile neutropenia; thrombocytopenia (75%; dermatological toxicity (75%; diarrhea and nausea (42% each; and neuropathy (42%.This phase I study demonstrates the feasibility of the combination of lenalidomide and gemcitabine as first-line treatment in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. The tolerability profile demonstrated in the dose escalation schedule of lenalidomide suggests the dosing of lenalidomide to be 25 mg daily on days 1-21 with standard dosing of gemcitabine and merits further evaluation in a phase II trial.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT

  14. Nanomedicine developments in the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer: focus on nanoliposomal irinotecan

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ko AH

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available Andrew H KoDivision of Hematology/Oncology, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA Abstract: Nanoliposomal irinotecan (nal-IRI was originally developed using an efficient and high-loading capacity system to encapsulate irinotecan within a liposomal carrier, producing a therapeutic agent with improved biodistribution and pharmacokinetic characteristics compared to free drug. Specifically, administration of nal-IRI results in prolonged exposure of SN-38, the active metabolite of irinotecan, within tumors, while at the same time offering the advantage of less systemic toxicity than traditional irinotecan. These favorable properties of nal-IRI, confirmed in a variety of tumor xenograft models, led to its clinical evaluation in a number of disease indications for which camptothecins have proven activity, including in colorectal, gastric, and pancreatic cancers. The culmination of these clinical trials was the NAPOLI-1 (Nanoliposomal irinotecan with fluorouracil and folinic acid in metastatic pancreatic cancer after previous gemcitabine-based therapy trial, an international Phase III study evaluating nal-IRI both alone and in combination with 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin in patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma following progression on gemcitabine-based chemotherapy. Positive results from NAPOLI-1 led to approval of nal-IRI (with 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin in October 2015 by the US Food and Drug Administration specifically for the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer in the second-line setting and beyond, a clinical context in which there had previously been no accepted standard of care. As such, nal-IRI represents an important landmark in cancer drug development, and potentially ushers in a new era where a greater number of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer can be sequenced through multiple lines of therapy translating into meaningful improvements in

  15. General Information about Pancreatic Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... overweight. Having a personal history of diabetes or chronic pancreatitis . Having a family history of pancreatic cancer or ... have not started treatment. Five types of standard treatment are used: Surgery ... Whipple procedure : A surgical procedure in which the head of the pancreas , ...

  16. Susceptibility of ATM-deficient pancreatic cancer cells to radiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ayars, Michael; Eshleman, James; Goggins, Michael

    2017-05-19

    Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) is inactivated in a significant minority of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas and may be predictor of treatment response. We determined if ATM deficiency renders pancreatic cancer cells more sensitive to fractionated radiation or commonly used chemotherapeutics. ATM expression was knocked down in three pancreatic cancer cell lines using ATM-targeting shRNA. Isogenic cell lines were tested for sensitivity to several chemotherapeutic agents and radiation. DNA repair kinetics were analyzed in irradiated cells using the comet assay. We find that while rendering pancreatic cancer cells ATM-deficient did not significantly change their sensitivity to several chemotherapeutics, it did render them exquisitely sensitized to radiation. Pancreatic cancer ATM status may help predict response to radiotherapy.

  17. Selection and Outcome of Portal Vein Resection in Pancreatic Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nakao, Akimasa

    2010-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer has the worst prognosis of all gastrointestinal neoplasms. Five-year survival of pancreatic cancer after pancreatectomy is very low, and surgical resection is the only option to cure this dismal disease. The standard surgical procedure is pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) for pancreatic head cancer. The morbidity and especially the mortality of PD have been greatly reduced. Portal vein resection in pancreatic cancer surgery is one attempt to increase resectability and radicality, and the procedure has become safe to perform. Clinicohistopathological studies have shown that the most important indication for portal vein resection in patients with pancreatic cancer is the ability to obtain cancer-free surgical margins. Otherwise, portal vein resection is contraindicated

  18. Selection and Outcome of Portal Vein Resection in Pancreatic Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nakao, Akimasa [Department of Surgery II, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8550 (Japan)

    2010-11-24

    Pancreatic cancer has the worst prognosis of all gastrointestinal neoplasms. Five-year survival of pancreatic cancer after pancreatectomy is very low, and surgical resection is the only option to cure this dismal disease. The standard surgical procedure is pancreatoduodenectomy (PD) for pancreatic head cancer. The morbidity and especially the mortality of PD have been greatly reduced. Portal vein resection in pancreatic cancer surgery is one attempt to increase resectability and radicality, and the procedure has become safe to perform. Clinicohistopathological studies have shown that the most important indication for portal vein resection in patients with pancreatic cancer is the ability to obtain cancer-free surgical margins. Otherwise, portal vein resection is contraindicated.

  19. Targeting Apoptosis Signaling in Pancreatic Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fulda, Simone

    2011-01-01

    The ability to escape apoptosis or programmed cell death is a hallmark of human cancers, for example pancreatic cancer. This can promote tumorigenesis, since too little cell death by apoptosis disturbs tissue homeostasis. Additionally, defective apoptosis signaling is the underlying cause of failure to respond to current treatment approaches, since therapy-mediated antitumor activity requires the intactness of apoptosis signaling pathways in cancer cells. Thus, the elucidation of defects in the regulation of apoptosis in pancreatic carcinoma can result in the identification of novel targets for therapeutic interference and for exploitation for cancer drug discovery

  20. Targeting Apoptosis Signaling in Pancreatic Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fulda, Simone [Institute for Experimental Cancer Research in Pediatrics, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Komturstr. 3a, 60528 Frankfurt (Germany)

    2011-01-11

    The ability to escape apoptosis or programmed cell death is a hallmark of human cancers, for example pancreatic cancer. This can promote tumorigenesis, since too little cell death by apoptosis disturbs tissue homeostasis. Additionally, defective apoptosis signaling is the underlying cause of failure to respond to current treatment approaches, since therapy-mediated antitumor activity requires the intactness of apoptosis signaling pathways in cancer cells. Thus, the elucidation of defects in the regulation of apoptosis in pancreatic carcinoma can result in the identification of novel targets for therapeutic interference and for exploitation for cancer drug discovery.

  1. miR-146a Suppresses Invasion of Pancreatic Cancer Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Yiwei; VandenBoom, Timothy G.; Wang, Zhiwei; Kong, Dejuan; Ali, Shadan; Philip, Philip A.; Sarkar, Fazlul H.

    2010-01-01

    The aggressive course of pancreatic cancer is believed to reflect its unusually invasive and metastatic nature, which is associated with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) overexpression and NF-κB activation. MicroRNAs (miRNA) have been implicated in the regulation of various pathobiological processes in cancer, including metastasis in pancreatic cancer and in other human malignancies. In this study, we report lower expression of miR-146a in pancreatic cancer cells compared with normal human pancreatic duct epithelial cells. Reexpression of miR-146a inhibited the invasive capacity of pancreatic cancer cells with concomitant downregulation of EGFR and the NF-κB regulatory kinase interleukin 1 receptor–associated kinase 1 (IRAK-1). Cellular mechanism studies revealed crosstalk between EGFR, IRAK-1, IκBα, NF-κB, and MTA-2, a transcription factor that regulates metastasis. Treatment of pancreatic cancer cells with the natural products 3,3′-diinodolylmethane (DIM) or isoflavone, which increased miR-146a expression, caused a downregulation of EGFR, MTA-2, IRAK-1, and NF-κB, resulting in an inhibition of pancreatic cancer cell invasion. Our findings reveal DIM and isoflavone as nontoxic activators of a miRNA that can block pancreatic cancer cell invasion and metastasis, offering starting points to design novel anticancer agents. PMID:20124483

  2. Childhood body mass index and risk of adult pancreatic cancer

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nogueira, Leticia; Stolzenberg-Solomon, Rachael; Gamborg, Michael

    2017-01-01

    incident pancreatic cancer cases from 1968-2012. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using Cox proportional hazard regressions. Results: During 8,207,015 person-years of follow-up, 1,268 pancreatic cancer cases were diagnosed. Childhood BMI z-scores at ages 7-13 years were......Background: Excess weight in adulthood is one of the few modifiable risk factors for pancreatic cancer, and height has associations as well. This leads to question whether body weight and height in childhood are associated with adult pancreatic cancer. Objective: To examine if childhood body mass...... from 7-13 years is positively and linearly associated with adult pancreatic cancer; the higher the BMI, the higher the risk. Excess childhood BMI may be indicative of processes initiated early in life that lead to this cancer. Prevention of childhood adiposity may decrease the burden of pancreatic...

  3. Regional intra-arterial vs. systemic chemotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Fenghua Liu

    Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: To investigate the efficacy and safety of regional intra-arterial chemotherapy (RIAC versus systemic chemotherapy for stage III/IV pancreatic cancer. METHODS: Randomized controlled trials of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer treated by regional intra-arterial or systemic chemotherapy were identified using PubMed, ISI, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Google, Chinese Scientific Journals Database (VIP, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI electronic databases, for all publications dated between 1960 and December 31, 2010. Data was independently extracted by two reviewers. Odds ratios and relative risks were pooled using either fixed- or random-effects models, depending on I(2 statistic and Q test assessments of heterogeneity. Statistical analysis was performed using RevMan 5.0. RESULTS: Six randomized controlled trials comprised of 298 patients met the standards for inclusion in the meta-analysis, among 492 articles that were identified. Eight patients achieved complete remission (CR with regional intra-arterial chemotherapy (RIAC, whereas no patients achieved CR with systemic chemotherapy. Compared with systemic chemotherapy, patients receiving RIAC had superior partial remissions (RR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.50, 2.65; 58.06% with RIAC and 29.37% with systemic treatment, clinical benefits (RR = 2.34, 95% CI: 1.84, 2.97; 78.06% with RAIC and 29.37% with systemic treatment, total complication rates (RR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.60, 0.87; 49.03% with RIAC and 71.33% with systemic treatment, and hematological side effects (RR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.63, 0.91; 60.87% with RIAC and 85.71% with systemic treatment. The median survival time with RIAC (5-21 months was longer than for systemic chemotherapy (2.7-14 months. Similarly, one year survival rates with RIAC (28.6%-41.2% were higher than with systemic chemotherapy (0%-12.9%.. CONCLUSION: Regional intra-arterial chemotherapy is more effective and has fewer complications than

  4. Regional intra-arterial vs. systemic chemotherapy for advanced pancreatic cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Fenghua; Tang, Yong; Sun, Junwei; Yuan, Zhanna; Li, Shasha; Sheng, Jun; Ren, He; Hao, Jihui

    2012-01-01

    To investigate the efficacy and safety of regional intra-arterial chemotherapy (RIAC) versus systemic chemotherapy for stage III/IV pancreatic cancer. Randomized controlled trials of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer treated by regional intra-arterial or systemic chemotherapy were identified using PubMed, ISI, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Google, Chinese Scientific Journals Database (VIP), and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) electronic databases, for all publications dated between 1960 and December 31, 2010. Data was independently extracted by two reviewers. Odds ratios and relative risks were pooled using either fixed- or random-effects models, depending on I(2) statistic and Q test assessments of heterogeneity. Statistical analysis was performed using RevMan 5.0. Six randomized controlled trials comprised of 298 patients met the standards for inclusion in the meta-analysis, among 492 articles that were identified. Eight patients achieved complete remission (CR) with regional intra-arterial chemotherapy (RIAC), whereas no patients achieved CR with systemic chemotherapy. Compared with systemic chemotherapy, patients receiving RIAC had superior partial remissions (RR = 1.99, 95% CI: 1.50, 2.65; 58.06% with RIAC and 29.37% with systemic treatment), clinical benefits (RR = 2.34, 95% CI: 1.84, 2.97; 78.06% with RAIC and 29.37% with systemic treatment), total complication rates (RR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.60, 0.87; 49.03% with RIAC and 71.33% with systemic treatment), and hematological side effects (RR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.63, 0.91; 60.87% with RIAC and 85.71% with systemic treatment). The median survival time with RIAC (5-21 months) was longer than for systemic chemotherapy (2.7-14 months). Similarly, one year survival rates with RIAC (28.6%-41.2%) were higher than with systemic chemotherapy (0%-12.9%.). Regional intra-arterial chemotherapy is more effective and has fewer complications than systemic chemotherapy for treating advanced

  5. Pancreatic cancer: any prospects for prevention?

    OpenAIRE

    Hart, A.

    1999-01-01

    Primary prevention of pancreatic cancer and public health measures to reduce its incidence are dependent on data from epidemiological studies. Currently, the only definite risk factor is smoking, although a diet rich in fruit and vegetables may be protective. The K-ras mutation may have a role in diagnosis and screening.


Keywords: pancreatic cancer; epidemiology; risk factors; smoking; diet; alcohol

  6. Value of computed tomography as a screening examination of pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Honda, Hiroshi; Watanabe, Katsushi; Nishikawa, Kiyoshi

    1983-01-01

    The abdominal CT films of 50 patients were reviewed by ten radiologists to evaluate the role of CT examination in the screening of pancreatic cancer. The 50 patients consisted of 10 with pancreatic cancer, 8 with other pancreatic abnormalities, and 32 with normal pancreas. Ten radiologists were divided into two groups according to their experience in evaluating CT examinations, an experienced group and an unexperienced group, respectively. In the detectability of pancreatic abnormality, the experienced group showed a sensitivity of 72.2% and a specificity of 86.2%. The unexperienced group showed a sensitivity of 70.9% and a specificity of 72.0%. In the detectability of pancreatic cancer, the experienced group showed a sensitivity of 62.0% and a specificity of 83.4%. The unexperienced group showed a sensitivity of 66.0% and a specificity of 81.8%. In the localization of the pancreatic cancer, there was no difference between the two groups. Pancreatic abnormality can be detected with high accuracy, but diagnosis of the nature of pancreatic cancer is difficult. Experience in evaluating CT examinations elevates the detectability of pancreatic abnormality but does not elevate the detectability of pancreatic cancer. These results suggest the difficulty in diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. (author)

  7. Synergistic activity of troxacitabine (Troxatyl™ and gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Leblond Lorraine

    2007-07-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Gemcitabine, a deoxycytidine nucleoside analog, is the current standard chemotherapy used as first-line treatment for patients with locally advanced or metastatic cancer of the pancreas, and extends life survival by 5.7 months. Advanced pancreatic cancer thus remains a highly unmet medical need and new therapeutic agents are required for this patient population. Troxacitabine (Troxatyl™ is the first unnatural L-nucleoside analog to show potent preclinical antitumor activity and is currently under clinical investigation. Troxacitabine was recently evaluated as a first-line therapy in 54 patients with advanced adenocarcinoma of the pancreas and gave comparable overall results to those reported with gemcitabine in recently published randomized trials. Methods The human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines, AsPC-1, Capan-2, MIA PaCa-2 and Panc-1, were exposed to troxacitabine or gemcitabine alone or in combination, for 72 h, and the effects on cell growth were determined by electronic particle counting. Synergistic efficacy was determined by the isobologram and combination-index methods of Chou and Talalay. Mechanistic studies addressed incorporation of troxacitabine into DNA and intracellular levels of troxacitabine and gemcitabine metabolites. For in vivo studies, we evaluated the effect of both drugs, alone and in combination, on the growth of established human pancreatic (AsPC-1 tumors implanted subcutaneously in nude mice. Statistical analysis was calculated by a one-way ANOVA with Dunnett as a post-test and the two-tailed unpaired t test using GraphPad prism software. Results Synergy, evaluated using the CalcuSyn Software, was observed in all four cell-lines at multiple drug concentrations resulting in combination indices under 0.7 at Fa of 0.5 (50% reduction of cell growth. The effects of drug exposures on troxacitabine and gemcitabine nucleotide pools were analyzed, and although gemcitabine reduced phosphorylation of

  8. Synergistic activity of troxacitabine (Troxatyl™) and gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Damaraju, Vijaya L; Bouffard, David Y; Wong, Clarence KW; Clarke, Marilyn L; Mackey, John R; Leblond, Lorraine; Cass, Carol E; Grey, Mike; Gourdeau, Henriette

    2007-01-01

    Gemcitabine, a deoxycytidine nucleoside analog, is the current standard chemotherapy used as first-line treatment for patients with locally advanced or metastatic cancer of the pancreas, and extends life survival by 5.7 months. Advanced pancreatic cancer thus remains a highly unmet medical need and new therapeutic agents are required for this patient population. Troxacitabine (Troxatyl™) is the first unnatural L-nucleoside analog to show potent preclinical antitumor activity and is currently under clinical investigation. Troxacitabine was recently evaluated as a first-line therapy in 54 patients with advanced adenocarcinoma of the pancreas and gave comparable overall results to those reported with gemcitabine in recently published randomized trials. The human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell lines, AsPC-1, Capan-2, MIA PaCa-2 and Panc-1, were exposed to troxacitabine or gemcitabine alone or in combination, for 72 h, and the effects on cell growth were determined by electronic particle counting. Synergistic efficacy was determined by the isobologram and combination-index methods of Chou and Talalay. Mechanistic studies addressed incorporation of troxacitabine into DNA and intracellular levels of troxacitabine and gemcitabine metabolites. For in vivo studies, we evaluated the effect of both drugs, alone and in combination, on the growth of established human pancreatic (AsPC-1) tumors implanted subcutaneously in nude mice. Statistical analysis was calculated by a one-way ANOVA with Dunnett as a post-test and the two-tailed unpaired t test using GraphPad prism software. Synergy, evaluated using the CalcuSyn Software, was observed in all four cell-lines at multiple drug concentrations resulting in combination indices under 0.7 at Fa of 0.5 (50% reduction of cell growth). The effects of drug exposures on troxacitabine and gemcitabine nucleotide pools were analyzed, and although gemcitabine reduced phosphorylation of troxacitabine when cells were exposed at equal drug

  9. Radiation therapy and concurrent fixed dose amifostine with escalating doses of twice-weekly gemcitabine in advanced pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yavuz, A. Aydin; Aydin, Fazil; Yavuz, Melek N.; Ilis, Esra; Ozdemir, Feyyaz

    2001-01-01

    Purpose: To determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and dose-limiting toxicity (DLT) of twice-weekly gemcitabine (TW-G) when administered in conjunction with fixed dose amifostine (A) during external radiotherapy (RT) in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Methods and Materials: Ten patients with previously untreated, locally advanced, or asymptomatic-metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma were enrolled in this study. RT was delivered by using the standard four-field technique (1.8 Gy daily fractions, 45 Gy followed by a boost of 5.4 Gy, in 5-1/2 weeks). The starting dose of TW-G was 60 mg/m 2 (i.v., 30-min infusion), which is equal to the upper limit of previously reported MTD of TW-G when given without A during RT. A was given just before the TW-G, at a fixed dose of 340 mg/m 2 (i.v., rapid infusion). TW-G doses were escalated by 30-mg/m 2 increments in successive cohorts of 3 to 6 additional patients until DLT was observed. Toxicities were graded using the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group and National Cancer Institute Common Toxicity Criteria, version 2.0. Results: In general, therapy was well tolerated in patients treated at the first two dose levels of 60 mg/m 2 and 90 mg/m 2 . The DLT of TW-G given in conjunction with A during RT were neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and nausea/vomiting at the dose level of 120 mg/m 2 . Of the 10 patients eligible for a median follow-up of 10 months, 5 remain alive; 1 complete responder, 3 partial responders, and 1 with stable disease. Conclusion: A dose of TW-G at a level of 90 mg/m 2 produced tolerable toxicity and it may possess significant activity when delivered in conjunction with 340 mg/m 2 dose of A during RT of the upper abdomen. Due to the higher MTD of TW-G seen in our study, we consider that the A supplementation may optimize the therapeutic index of TW-G-based chemoradiotherapy protocols in patients with pancreatic carcinoma

  10. External beam radiotherapy for unresectable pancreatic cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kagami, Yoshikazu; Nishio, Masamichi; Narimatsu, Naoto; Ogawa, Hajime; Betsuyaku, Takashi; Hirata, Kouji; Ikeda, Shigeyuki (Sapporo National Hospital (Japan). Hokkaido Cancer Center)

    1992-04-01

    Between 1980 to 1989, 24 patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer (10 with localized tumor alone and 14 with distant metastases) have been treated with external beam radiation at Sapporo National Hospital, Hokkaido Cancer Center. Response rate of pancreatic tumor treated with external beam radiation was 33.3% (7/21) with no complete response. Median survival time of the patients with localized tumor was 10 months and that of the patients with distant metastases was 3 months. Relief of pain occurred in 92.9% (12/13) of patients having pain due to pancreatic tumor and in 75% (3/4) of patients having pain due to bone metastases. Major complication was gastric ulcer which developed in 5 patients of 21 patients given stomach irradiation. We concluded that unresectable pancreatic cancer would be frequently indicated for radiotherapy. (author).

  11. Emphasis on neoadjuvant therapy for “resectable” pancreatic cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    LIU Chang

    2015-05-01

    Full Text Available The treatment concept for pancreatic cancer is being transferred from “surgery first” to MDT model. The postoperative adjuvant treatment of pancreatic cancer can significantly improve the prognosis of patients and has become the standardized diagnostic and treatment practice; the value and significance of neoadjuvant therapy remains unclear. Limited clinical studies of “borderline resectable” pancreatic cancer have shown that neoadjuvant therapy can improve the R0 resection rate and improve the prognosis of patients, and it is recommended for clinical application. But the significance of neoadjuvant therapy in “resectable” pancreatic cancer is still controversial. There is a lack of consensus on indications, cycles, and regimens. It is necessary to carry out a series of prospective control studies to objectively evaluate the value of neoadjuvant therapy in improving the prognosis of “resectable” pancreatic cancer.

  12. A Case of Pancreatic Cancer in the Setting of Autoimmune Pancreatitis with Nondiagnostic Serum Markers

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Manju D. Chandrasegaram

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP often mimics pancreatic cancer. The diagnosis of both conditions is difficult preoperatively let alone when they coexist. Several reports have been published describing pancreatic cancer in the setting of AIP. Case Report. The case of a 53-year-old man who presented with abdominal pain, jaundice, and radiological features of autoimmune pancreatitis, with a “sausage-shaped” pancreas and bulky pancreatic head with portal vein impingement, is presented. He had a normal serum IgG4 and only mildly elevated Ca-19.9. Initial endoscopic ultrasound-(EUS- guided fine-needle aspiration (FNA of the pancreas revealed an inflammatory sclerosing process only. A repeat EUS guided biopsy following biliary decompression demonstrated both malignancy and features of autoimmune pancreatitis. At laparotomy, a uniformly hard, bulky pancreas was found with no sonographically definable mass. A total pancreatectomy with portal vein resection and reconstruction was performed. Histology revealed adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreatic head and autoimmune pancreatitis and squamous metaplasia in the remaining pancreas. Conclusion. This case highlights the diagnostic and management difficulties in a patient with pancreatic cancer in the setting of serum IgG4-negative, Type 2 AIP.

  13. Fucosylated haptoglobin is a novel marker for pancreatic cancer: a detailed analysis of the oligosaccharide structure and a possible mechanism for fucosylation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okuyama, Noriko; Ide, Yoshihito; Nakano, Miyako; Nakagawa, Tsutomu; Yamanaka, Kanako; Moriwaki, Kenta; Murata, Kohei; Ohigashi, Hiroaki; Yokoyama, Shigekazu; Eguchi, Hidetoshi; Ishikawa, Osamu; Ito, Toshifumi; Kato, Michio; Kasahara, Akinori; Kawano, Sunao; Gu, Jianguo; Taniguchi, Naoyuki; Miyoshi, Eiji

    2006-06-01

    Changes in oligosaccharide structures have been reported in certain types of malignant transformations and, thus, could be used for tumor markers in certain types of cancer. In the case of pancreatic cancer cell lines, a variety of fucosylated proteins are secreted into their conditioned media. To identify fucosylated proteins in the serum of patients with pancreatic cancer, we performed western blot analyses using Aleuria Aurantica Lectin (AAL), which is specific for fucosylated structures. An approximately 40 kD protein was found to be highly fucosylated in pancreatic cancer and an N-terminal analysis revealed that it was the beta chain of haptoglobin. While the appearance of fucosylated haptoglobin has been reported in other diseases such as hepatocellular carcinoma, liver cirrhosis, gastric cancer and colon cancer, the incidence was significantly higher in the case of pancreatic cancer. Fucosylated haptoglobin was observed more frequently at the advanced stage of pancreatic cancer and disappeared after an operation. A mass spectrometry analysis of haptoglobin purified from the serum of patients with pancreatic cancer and the medium from a pancreatic cancer cell line, PSN-1, showed that the alpha 1-3/alpha 1-4/alpha 1-6 fucosylation of haptoglobin was increased in pancreatic cancer. When a hepatoma cell line, Hep3B, was cultured with the conditioned media from pancreatic cancer cells, haptoglobin secretion was dramatically increased. These findings suggest that fucosylated haptoglobin could serve as a novel marker for pancreatic cancer. Two possibilities were considered in terms of the fucosylation of haptoglobin. One is that pancreatic cancer cells, themselves, produce fucosylated haptoglobin; the other is that pancreatic cancer produces a factor, which induces the production of fucosylated haptoglobin in the liver.

  14. Increased pancreatic cancer risk following radiotherapy for testicular cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hauptmann, Michael; Børge Johannesen, Tom; Gilbert, Ethel S; Stovall, Marilyn; van Leeuwen, Flora E; Rajaraman, Preetha; Smith, Susan A; Weathers, Rita E; Aleman, Berthe M P; Andersson, Michael; Curtis, Rochelle E; Dores, Graça M; Fraumeni, Joseph F; Hall, Per; Holowaty, Eric J; Joensuu, Heikki; Kaijser, Magnus; Kleinerman, Ruth A; Langmark, Frøydis; Lynch, Charles F; Pukkala, Eero; Storm, Hans H; Vaalavirta, Leila; van den Belt-Dusebout, Alexandra W; Morton, Lindsay M; Fossa, Sophie D; Travis, Lois B

    2016-09-27

    Pancreatic cancer risk is elevated among testicular cancer (TC) survivors. However, the roles of specific treatments are unclear. Among 23 982 5-year TC survivors diagnosed during 1947-1991, doses from radiotherapy to the pancreas were estimated for 80 pancreatic cancer patients and 145 matched controls. Chemotherapy details were recorded. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs). Cumulative incidence of second primary pancreatic cancer was 1.1% at 30 years after TC diagnosis. Radiotherapy (72 (90%) cases and 115 (80%) controls) was associated with a 2.9-fold (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.0-7.8) increased risk. The OR increased linearly by 0.12 per Gy to the pancreas (P-trendcancer risk, and persists for over 20 years. These excesses, although small, should be considered when radiotherapy with exposure to the pancreas is considered for newly diagnosed patients. Additional data are needed on the role of chemotherapy.

  15. Paratesticular adenocarcinoma. Unusual presentation of metastasis of pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ocvirk, J.; Seruga, B.

    2007-01-01

    Metastatic paratesticular adenocarcinoma from the pancreatic cancer is very rare. To our knowledge, there are less than 20 cases published in the literature. We experienced a case of paratesticular adenocarcinoma from the primary pancreatic cancer. A 42-year-old man was presented with locoregionally advanced carcinoma of the tail of the pancreas with intraoperatively found liver metastases and with a tumour in the right hemi-scrotum. Ultrasound of the scrotum revealed a paratesticular tumour. A fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) confirmed a poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma and it was in concordance with the diagnosis of the primary tumour. The patient started treatment with chemotherapy with gemcitabine. Unfortunately, he progressed one month later and the treatment was discontinued. Outcome in the adenocarcinoma of the pancreas is dismal. The only possible treatment option for metastatic disease is systemic therapy but the results are disappointing, as in the present case. (author)

  16. Precision Medicine for Advanced Pancreas Cancer: The Individualized Molecular Pancreatic Cancer Therapy (IMPaCT) Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chantrill, Lorraine A; Nagrial, Adnan M; Watson, Clare; Johns, Amber L; Martyn-Smith, Mona; Simpson, Skye; Mead, Scott; Jones, Marc D; Samra, Jaswinder S; Gill, Anthony J; Watson, Nicole; Chin, Venessa T; Humphris, Jeremy L; Chou, Angela; Brown, Belinda; Morey, Adrienne; Pajic, Marina; Grimmond, Sean M; Chang, David K; Thomas, David; Sebastian, Lucille; Sjoquist, Katrin; Yip, Sonia; Pavlakis, Nick; Asghari, Ray; Harvey, Sandra; Grimison, Peter; Simes, John; Biankin, Andrew V

    2015-05-01

    Personalized medicine strategies using genomic profiling are particularly pertinent for pancreas cancer. The Individualized Molecular Pancreatic Cancer Therapy (IMPaCT) trial was initially designed to exploit results from genome sequencing of pancreatic cancer under the auspices of the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) in Australia. Sequencing revealed small subsets of patients with aberrations in their tumor genome that could be targeted with currently available therapies. The pilot stage of the IMPaCT trial assessed the feasibility of acquiring suitable tumor specimens for molecular analysis and returning high-quality actionable genomic data within a clinically acceptable timeframe. We screened for three molecular targets: HER2 amplification; KRAS wild-type; and mutations in DNA damage repair pathways (BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, ATM). Tumor biopsy and archived tumor samples were collected from 93 patients and 76 were screened. To date 22 candidate cases have been identified: 14 KRAS wild-type, 5 cases of HER2 amplification, 2 mutations in BRCA2, and 1 ATM mutation. Median time from consent to the return of validated results was 21.5 days. An inability to obtain a biopsy or insufficient tumor content in the available specimen were common reasons for patient exclusion from molecular analysis while deteriorating performance status prohibited a number of patients from proceeding in the study. Documenting the feasibility of acquiring and screening biospecimens for actionable molecular targets in real time will aid other groups embarking on similar trials. Key elements include the need to better prescreen patients, screen more patients, and offer more attractive clinical trial options. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

  17. Comparison of Pancreas Juice Proteins from Cancer Versus Pancreatitis Using Quantitative Proteomic Analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Ru; Pan, Sheng; Cooke, Kelly; Moyes, Kara White; Bronner, Mary P.; Goodlett, David R.; Aebersold, Ruedi; Brentnall, Teresa A.

    2008-01-01

    Objectives Pancreatitis is an inflammatory condition of the pancreas. However, it often shares many molecular features with pancreatic cancer. Biomarkers present in pancreatic cancer frequently occur in the setting of pancreatitis. The efforts to develop diagnostic biomarkers for pancreatic cancer have thus been complicated by the false-positive involvement of pancreatitis. Methods In an attempt to develop protein biomarkers for pancreatic cancer, we previously use quantitative proteomics to identify and quantify the proteins from pancreatic cancer juice. Pancreatic juice is a rich source of proteins that are shed by the pancreatic ductal cells. In this study, we used a similar approach to identify and quantify proteins from pancreatitis juice. Results In total, 72 proteins were identified and quantified in the comparison of pancreatic juice from pancreatitis patients versus pooled normal control juice. Nineteen of the juice proteins were overexpressed, and 8 were underexpressed in pancreatitis juice by at least 2-fold compared with normal pancreatic juice. Of these 27 differentially expressed proteins in pancreatitis, 9 proteins were also differentially expressed in the pancreatic juice from pancreatic cancer patient. Conclusions Identification of these differentially expressed proteins from pancreatitis juice provides useful information for future study of specific pancreatitis-associated proteins and to eliminate potential false-positive biomarkers for pancreatic cancer. PMID:17198186

  18. Multi-institutional phase I study of low-dose ultra-fractionated radiotherapy as a chemosensitizer for gemcitabine and erlotinib in patients with locally advanced or limited metastatic pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Konski, Andre; Meyer, Joshua E.; Joiner, Michael; Hall, Michael J.; Philip, Philip; Shields, Anthony; McSpadden, Erin; Choi, Minsig; Adaire, Beth; Duncan, Gail; Meropol, Neal J.; Cescon, Terrence P.; Cohen, Steven J.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: Gemcitabine (G) has been shown to sensitize pancreatic cancer to radiotherapy but requires lower doses of G and thus delays aggressive systemic treatment, potentially leading to distant failure. We initiated a phase I trial combining ultra-fractionated low-dose radiotherapy with full dose G and erlotinib in the treatment of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. Methods: Patients with locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer confined to the abdomen and an ECOG performance status (PS) of 0–1 who had received 0–1 prior regimens (without G or E) and no prior radiotherapy were eligible. Patients were treated in 21 day cycles with G IV days 1 and 8, E once PO QD, and twice daily RT fractions separated by at least 4 h on days 1, 2, 8, and 9. Whole abdominal RT fields were used. Primary endpoint was to define dose limiting toxicity (DLT) and the maximum tolerated dose (MTD). Results: 27 patients (median age 64 years and 15 male) were enrolled between 11/24/08 and 4/12/12. 1 patient withdrew consent prior to receiving any protocol therapy. 17 patients had a PS of 1. The majority of patients were stage IV. One DLT was noted out of 7 patients at dose level (DL) 1. Subsequently no DLTs were noted in 3 patients each enrolled at DL2-4 or 11 patients in the expansion cohort. The majority of grade 3 toxicities were hematologic with 1 grade 5 bowel perforation in dose level 1 in cycle 4. Best response in 24 evaluable patients: PR (8), stable (15), PD 1. Median survival for the entire group was 9.1 months. Conclusion: This phase I study combining low-dose ultra-fractionated RT as a sensitizer to full dose G plus E was well tolerated with encouraging efficacy. This represents a novel strategy worthy of further investigation in advanced pancreatic cancer patients

  19. Outcomes and Tolerability of Chemoradiation Therapy for Pancreatic Cancer Patients Aged 75 Years or Older

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Miyamoto, David T.; Mamon, Harvey J.; Ryan, David P.

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: To review the outcomes and tolerability of full-dose chemoradiation in elderly patients aged 75 years or older with localized pancreatic cancer. Methods and Materials: We retrospectively reviewed patients aged 75 years or older with nonmetastatic pancreatic cancer treated with chemoradiation therapy at two institutions from 2002 to 2007. Patients were analyzed for treatment toxicity, local recurrences, distant metastases, and survival. Results: A total of 42 patients with a median age of 78 years (range, 75-90 years) who received chemoradiation therapy for pancreatic cancer were identified. Of the patients, 24 had locally advanced disease treated with definitive chemoradiation, and 18 had disease treated with surgery and chemoradiation. Before chemoradiotherapy, the mean Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status was 1.0 ± 0.8, and the mean 6-month weight loss was 5.3 ± 3.8 kg. The mean radiation dose delivered was 48.1 ± 9.2 Gy. All patients received fluoropyrimidine-based chemotherapy concurrently with radiotherapy. In all, 8 patients (19%) were hospitalized, 7 (17%) had an emergency room visit, 15 (36%) required a radiation treatment break, 3 (7%) required a chemotherapy break, 9 (21%) did not complete therapy, and 22 (49%) had at least one of these adverse events. The most common toxicities were nausea, pain, and failure to thrive. Median overall survival was 8.6 months (95% confidence interval, 7.2-13.1) in patients who received definitive chemoradiation therapy and 20.6 months (95% confidence interval, 9.5-∞) in patients who underwent resection and chemoradiation therapy. Conclusions: In this dataset of very elderly patients with pancreatic cancer and good Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status, outcomes after chemoradiotherapy were similar to those among historic controls for patients with locally advanced and resected pancreatic cancer, although many patients experienced substantial treatment-related toxicity.

  20. Low Concentrations of Metformin Selectively Inhibit CD133+ Cell Proliferation in Pancreatic Cancer and Have Anticancer Action

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Xiangsheng; Shi, Pengfei; Liu, Tao; Wang, Chunyou

    2013-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer related deaths in the United States. The prognosis remains dismal with little advance in treatment. Metformin is a drug widely used for the treatment of type II diabetes. Recent epidemiologic data revealed that oral administration of metformin is associated with a reduced risk of pancreatic cancer, suggesting its potential as a novel drug for this disease. Many studies have demonstrated the in vitro anticancer action of metformin, but the typically used concentrations were much higher than the in vivo plasma and tissue concentrations achieved with recommended therapeutic doses of metformin, and low concentrations of metformin had little effect on the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells. We examined the effect of low concentrations of metformin on different subpopulations of pancreatic cancer cells and found that these selectively inhibited the proliferation of CD133+ but not CD24+CD44+ESA+ cells. We also examined the effect of low concentrations of metformin on cell invasion and in vivo tumor formation, demonstrating in vitro and in vivo anticancer action. Metformin was associated with a reduction of phospho-Erk and phospho-mTOR independent of Akt and AMPK phosphorylation. CD133+ pancreatic cancer cells are considered to be cancer stem cells that contribute to recurrence, metastasis and resistance to adjuvant therapies in pancreatic cancer. Our results provide a basis for combination of metformin with current therapies to improve the prognosis of this disease. PMID:23667692

  1. Pancreatic cancer screening employing noncontrast magnetic resonance imaging combined with ultrasonography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kuroki-Suzuki, Seiko; Nagashima, Chieko; Machida, Minoru; Muramatsu, Yukio; Moriyama, Noriyuki; Kuroki, Yoshifumi; Nasu, Katsuhiro

    2011-01-01

    We have conducted an initial evaluation on the potential of combining noncontrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasonography (US) to screen for pancreatic cancer. An independent ethics committee approved this study. A total of 2511 patients who underwent US were enrolled. Among them, noncontrast MRI was performed in patients in whom the entire pancreas was difficult to depict or in those with US-suspected pancreatic lesions. In total, using 1.5-T MRI, T1- and T2-weighted imaging, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, and diffusion-weighted imaging, we acquired a variety of images. The efficacy of US and MRI in screening for pancreatic lesions, including pancreatic cancer, was evaluated. Of 2511 patients, 184 underwent MRI, and the pancreas was demonstrated in all of them. Among the 2511, five pancreatic cancers were detected by MRI combined with US (detection rate 0.20%). Of the five pancreatic cancers, three were detected by US (detection rate 0.12%) and two by MRI. Four of the five pancreatic cancers were resectable. By combining noncontrast MRI with US, pancreatic cancer can be detected with high accuracy. Other pancreatic lesions that require follow-up, including intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms, can also be detected. Thus, pancreatic cancer screening with a combination of US and MRI is suggested. (author)

  2. Helicobacter pylori infection, atrophic gastritis, and pancreatic cancer risk

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Hong; Chen, Yue-Tong; Wang, Rui; Chen, Xin-Zu

    2017-01-01

    Abstract Background: To investigate the associations of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection and atrophic gastritis (AG) with pancreatic cancer risk. Methods: A literature search in PubMed was performed up to July 2017. Only prospective cohort and nested case–control studies enrolling cancer-free participants were eligible. Incident pancreatic cancer cases were ascertained during the follow-up. The risks of pancreatic cancer were compared between persons infected and noninfected with Hp, or between those with and without AG status at baseline. Odds ratios (ORs) or hazard ratios were combined. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed, and publication bias was estimated. Results: Three cohort studies and 6 nested case–control studies, including 65,155 observations, were analyzed. The meta-analyses did not confirm the association between pancreatic cancer risk and Hp infection (OR = 1.09, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.81–1.47) or AG status (OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 0.80–1.72). However, particular subpopulations potentially had increased risks of pancreatic cancer. Cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA)-negative strains of Hp might be a causative factor of pancreatic cancer (OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.05–1.62), but a sensitivity analysis by leave-one-out method did not fully warrant it (OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 0.93–1.56). In 1 nested case–control study, AG at stomach corpus in Hp-negative subpopulation might have increased risk of pancreatic cancer, but with a poor test power = 0.56. Publication biases were nonsignificant in the present meta-analysis. Conclusion: Based on current prospective epidemiologic studies, the linkage of pancreatic cancer to Hp infection or AG status was not warranted on the whole. Nevertheless, prospective studies only focusing on those specific subpopulations are further required to obtain better power. PMID:28816977

  3. Critical analysis of the potential for the therapeutic targeting of the Sp1 transcription factor in pancreatic cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jutooru I

    2014-06-01

    Full Text Available Indira Jutooru,1 Gayathri Chadalapaka,1 Stephen Safe1,21Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA; 2Institute of Biosciences and Technology, Texas A&M Health Science Center, Houston, TX, USAAbstract: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC is a major cause of cancer-related deaths in developed countries and, in 2013, it is estimated that in excess of 45,220 new cases were diagnosed in the United States. PDAC is a highly aggressive disease that invariably evades early diagnosis. The mean survival time for patients with metastatic disease is only 3–6 months, and only 20%–30% of pancreatic cancer patients are alive after 12 months. Because pancreatic cancers are frequently detected at an advanced stage, treatments have provided very limited improvements in tumor regression and overall survival times after diagnosis. 5-Fluorouracil alone or in combination with other drugs has been extensively used for treatment of advanced pancreatic cancer, and gemcitabine has partially replaced 5-fluorouracil as a treatment for pancreatic cancer. Gemcitabine provides increased clinical benefits in terms of response rate; however, future studies need to focus on developing treatment modalities that will improve the survival rate for pancreatic cancer patients. Specificity protein 1 (Sp1 is overexpressed in PDAC patients, and high expression is associated with poor prognosis, lymph node metastasis, and low survival. Knockdown studies have shown that Sp1 plays an important role in cell growth, angiogenesis, inflammation, survival, and metastasis. Sp1 expression is low in normal tissue when compared to tumor tissue, which makes Sp1 a potential target for development of new mechanism-based drugs for treatment of pancreatic cancer. Several drugs such as tolfenamic acid, betulinic acid, and methyl-2-cyano3,12-dioxooleana-1,9(11-dien-28-oate are shown to downregulate Sp1 expression through various pathways

  4. Qingyihuaji Formula Inhibits Pancreatic Cancer and Prolongs Survival by Downregulating Hes-1 and Hey-1

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yanli Xu

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The dire prognosis of pancreatic cancer has not markedly improved during past decades. The present study was carried out to explore the effect of Qingyihuaji formula (QYHJ on inhibiting pancreatic cancer and prolonging survival in related Notch signaling pathway. Proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells (SW1990 and PANC-1 was detected by MTT assay at 24, 48, and 72 h with exposure to various concentrations (0.08–50 mg/mL of QYHJ water extract. Pancreatic tumor models of nude mice were divided into three groups randomly (control, QYHJ, and gemcitabine. mRNA and protein expression of Notch target genes (Hes-1, Hey-1, Hey-2, and Hey-L in dissected tumor tissue were detected. Results showed that proliferation of SW1990 cells and PANC-1 cells was inhibited by QYHJ water extract in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. QYHJ effectively inhibited tumor growth and prolonged survival time in nude mice. Expression of both Hes-1 and Hey-1 was decreased significantly in QYHJ group, suggesting that Hes-1 and Hey-1 in Notch signaling pathway might be potential targets for QYHJ treatment. This research could help explain the clinical effectiveness of QYHJ and may provide advanced pancreatic cancer patients with a new therapeutic option.

  5. Engineered T cells for pancreatic cancer treatment

    Science.gov (United States)

    Katari, Usha L; Keirnan, Jacqueline M; Worth, Anna C; Hodges, Sally E; Leen, Ann M; Fisher, William E; Vera, Juan F

    2011-01-01

    Objective Conventional chemotherapy and radiotherapy produce marginal survival benefits in pancreatic cancer, underscoring the need for novel therapies. The aim of this study is to develop an adoptive T cell transfer approach to target tumours expressing prostate stem cell antigen (PSCA), a tumour-associated antigen that is frequently expressed by pancreatic cancer cells. Methods Expression of PSCA on cell lines and primary tumour samples was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. Healthy donor- and patient-derived T cells were isolated, activated in vitro using CD3/CD28, and transduced with a retroviral vector encoding a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) targeting PSCA. The ability of these cells to kill tumour cells was analysed by chromium-51 (Cr51) release. Results Prostate stem cell antigen was expressed on >70% of the primary tumour samples screened. Activated, CAR-modified T cells could be readily generated in clinically relevant numbers and were specifically able to kill PSCA-expressing pancreatic cancer cell lines with no non-specific killing of PSCA-negative target cells, thus indicating the potential efficacy and safety of this approach. Conclusions Prostate stem cell antigen is frequently expressed on pancreatic cancer cells and can be targeted for immune-mediated destruction using CAR-modified, adoptively transferred T cells. The safety and efficacy of this approach indicate that it deserves further study and may represent a promising novel treatment for patients with pancreatic cancer. PMID:21843265

  6. Role of radiation therapy in patients with resectable pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Palta, Manisha; Willett, Christopher; Czito, Brian

    2011-07-01

    The 5-year overall survival of patients with pancreatic cancer is approximately 5%, with potentially resectable disease representing the curable minority. Although surgical resection remains the cornerstone of treatment, local and distant failure rates are high after complete resection, and debate continues as to the appropriate adjuvant therapy. Many oncologists advocate for adjuvant chemotherapy alone, given that high rates of systemic metastases are the primary cause of patient mortality. Others, however, view locoregional failure as a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality, thereby justifying the use of adjuvant chemoradiation. As in other gastrointestinal malignancies, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy offers potential advantages in resectable patients, and clinical investigation of this approach has shown promising results; however, phase III data are lacking. Further therapeutic advances and prospective trials are needed to better define the optimal role of adjuvant and neoadjuvant treatment in patients with resectable pancreatic cancer.

  7. Drugs Approved for Pancreatic Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    This page lists cancer drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for pancreatic cancer. The list includes generic names, brand names, and common drug combinations, which are shown in capital letters.

  8. Extended Pancreatectomy: Does It Have a Role in the Contemporary Management of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kaiser, Joerg; Hackert, Thilo; Büchler, Markus W

    2017-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is a low-incident but highly mortal disease. Surgery is still the preferred treatment option for resectable pancreatic cancer as it offers the only realistic chance for cure. As many patients present with locally advanced disease, which is generally considered as not amenable to surgical treatment, it is important to know the limits of surgical therapy in this disease. In this review, the indication and outcomes of extended pancreatectomies as well as the alternative treatment options for locally advanced pancreatic cancer are described. Furthermore, controversies as well as ongoing and future directions for the treatment options of locally advanced pancreatic cancer are discussed. Extended pancreatectomy can be performed with higher morbidity and mortality rates in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer compared to patients undergoing formal pancreatic resections. These procedures offer significant advantages with respect to both perioperative results and to long-term outcome when compared to chemotherapy. Due to the higher morbidity and mortality rates, these operations should be limited to specialist units with great experience in pancreatic surgery as well as experience in peri- and post-operative management of patients with pancreatic diseases. © 2017 S. Karger AG, Basel.

  9. Rare case of pancreatic cancer with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoo, In Kyung; Lee, Hong Sik; Kim, Chang Duk; Chun, Hoon Jai; Jeen, Yoon Tae; Keum, Bora; Kim, Eun Sun; Choi, Hyuk Soon; Lee, Jae Min; Kim, Seung Han; Nam, Seung Joo; Hyun, Jong Jin

    2015-01-01

    Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis occurs very rarely in patients with pancreatic cancer. Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis is characterized by multifocal seeding of the leptomeninges by malignant cells that originate from a solid tumor. To the best of our knowledge, brain metastasis from pancreatic cancer is extremely rare. Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis is estimated to occur in 3% to 8% of cases of solid tumors. The clinical manifestation usually involves neurological symptoms, including dizziness, headache, vomiting, nausea, and hemiparesis, symptoms similar to those of meningitis or brain tumors. Diagnostic methods for leptomeningeal carcinomatosis include brain magnetic resonance imaging and cerebrospinal fluid examination. Here, we describe a case of leptomeningeal carcinomatosis in which the primary tumor was later determined to be pancreatic cancer. Brain magnetic resonance imaging findings showed mild enhancement of the leptomeninges, and cerebrospinal fluid cytology was negative at first. However, after repeated spinal taps, atypical cells were observed on cerebrospinal fluid analysis and levels of tumor markers such as carbohydrate antigen 19-9 in cerebrospinal fluid were elevated. Abdominal computed tomography, performed to determine the presence of extracerebral tumors, revealed pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer was confirmed histopathologically on examination of an endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration specimen. PMID:25624740

  10. Vitamin D and pancreatic cancer

    OpenAIRE

    Stolzenberg-Solomon, Rachael Z.

    2008-01-01

    Sun exposure has been associated with lower death rates for pancreatic cancer in ecological studies. Skin exposure to solar ultra-violet B radiation induces cutaneous production of precursors to 25-hydroxy (OH) vitamin D (D) and is considered the primary contributor to vitamin D status in most populations. Pancreatic islet and duct cells express 25-(OH) D3-1α-hydroxylase that generates the biologically active 1,25-dihydroxy(OH)2 D form. Thus, 25(OH)D concentrations could affect pancreatic fun...

  11. Treatment outcome of advanced pancreatic cancer patients who are ineligible for a clinical trial

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ueda A

    2013-05-01

    Full Text Available Akira Ueda, Ayumu Hosokawa, Kohei Ogawa, Hiroki Yoshita, Takayuki Ando, Shinya Kajiura, Haruka Fujinami, Kengo Kawai, Jun Nishikawa, Kazuto Tajiri, Masami Minemura, Toshiro SugiyamaDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hematology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toyama, Toyama, JapanObjective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer in clinical practice, and assess whether chemotherapy provided a clinical benefit for patients who did not meet the eligibility criteria of the clinical trial.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 75 patients who received first-line chemotherapy for pancreatic cancer between April 2006 and September 2011. Patients were treated with gemcitabine (GEM alone, S-1 (tegafur, gimeracil, and oteracil potassium alone, or GEM plus S-1. Patients were divided into the clinical trial eligible group (arm eligible or the ineligible group (arm ineligible. We evaluated the efficacy and the safety of the chemotherapy.Results: A total of 23 patients out of 75 (31% belonged to the ineligible group, for the following reasons: 20 patients had poor performance status, eight had massive ascites, one had synchronous malignancy, and one had icterus. The median progression-free survival (PFS was 3.5 months, and the median overall survival (OS was 6.7 months in all patients. In arm eligible, median PFS was 4.5 months, and median OS was 10.5 months. In arm ineligible, median PFS was 1.1 months, and median OS was 2.9 months.Conclusion: The outcome of the patients who did not meet the eligibility criteria was very poor. It is important to select the patients that could benefit from either chemotherapy or optimal supportive care.Keywords: gemcitabine, S-1, clinical practice

  12. Obesity adversely affects survival in pancreatic cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    McWilliams, Robert R; Matsumoto, Martha E; Burch, Patrick A; Kim, George P; Halfdanarson, Thorvardur R; de Andrade, Mariza; Reid-Lombardo, Kaye; Bamlet, William R

    2010-11-01

    Higher body-mass index (BMI) has been implicated as a risk factor for developing pancreatic cancer, but its effect on survival has not been thoroughly investigated. The authors assessed the association of BMI with survival in a sample of pancreatic cancer patients and used epidemiologic and clinical information to understand the contribution of diabetes and hyperglycemia. A survival analysis using Cox proportional hazards by usual adult BMI was performed on 1861 unselected patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma; analyses were adjusted for covariates that included clinical stage, age, and sex. Secondary analyses incorporated self-reported diabetes and fasting blood glucose in the survival model. BMI as a continuous variable was inversely associated with survival from pancreatic adenocarcinoma (hazard ratio [HR], 1.019 for each increased unit of BMI [kg/m2], PFasting blood glucose and diabetes did not affect the results. Higher BMI is associated with decreased survival in pancreatic cancer. Although the mechanism of this association remains undetermined, diabetes and hyperglycemia do not appear to account for the observed association. Copyright © 2010 American Cancer Society.

  13. Opium Use and Risk of Pancreatic Cancer: A Prospective Cohort Study

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moossavi, Shirin; Mohamadnejad, Mehdi; Pourshams, Akram; Poustchi, Hossein; Islami, Farhad; Sharafkhah, Maryam; Mirminachi, Babak; Nasseri-Moghaddam, Siavosh; Semnani, Shahryar; Shakeri, Ramin; Etemadi, Arash; Merat, Shahin; Khoshnia, Masoud; Dawsey, Sanford M.; Pharoah, Paul D.; Brennan, Paul; Abnet, Christian C.; Boffetta, Paolo; Kamangar, Farin; Malekzadeh, Reza

    2018-01-01

    Background We examined the association between opium consumption and pancreatic cancer incidence in a large-scale prospective cohort of the general population in Northeast of Iran. Methods A total of 50,045 adults were systematically followed-up (median of 7.4 years) and incident cases of pancreatic cancer were identified. Self-reported data on opium consumption was collected at baseline. Cumulative use (-year) was defined as number of nokhods (a local unit, approximately 0.2 g) of opium consumed per day multiplied by number of years consuming. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between opium consumption and pancreatic cancer were calculated using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results Overall, 54 confirmed cases of pancreatic cancer were identified. Opium use of more than 81 nokhod-years (high cumulative use), compared to never use, was strongly associated with pancreatic cancer even after adjustments for multiple potential confounding factors [HR=3.01; 95% CI 1.25-7.26]. High cumulative consumption of opium was significantly associated with risk of pancreatic cancer after adjusting for cumulative dose of cigarette smoking [HR=3.56; 95% CI 1.49-8.50]. In a sensitivity analysis, we excluded participants (including 2 pancreatic cancer cases) who were recruited within the first 5 years of starting opium consumption; high cumulative use of opium was still associated with pancreatic cancer risk [HR=2.75; 95% CI 1.14-6.64]. Conclusion Our results showed a positive association between opium consumption and pancreatic cancer. Impact This is the first prospective large-scale study to show the association of opium consumption with pancreatic cancer as a risk factor. PMID:29263189

  14. Selected medical conditions and risk of pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Olson, Sara H

    2012-01-01

    We review the current evidence for associations of several medical conditions with risk of pancreatic cancer, including allergies, pancreatitis, gall bladder disease, cholecystectomy, ulcers, gastrectomy, appendectomy, and tonsillectomy. There are consistent findings of reduced risk associated with presence of self-reported allergies, particularly hay fever but not asthma; data on other allergies are limited and inconclusive. Several studies provide evidence that patients with pancreatic cancer are more likely than comparison groups to report pancreatitis. Those studies that investigated the time between onset of pancreatitis and diagnosis of pancreatic cancer found that risk estimates declined with longer periods of time; however, increased risks were noted for long-term pancreatitis, indicating that this condition is both a risk factor and a sign of early disease. Increased risk was reported in association with cholelithiasis, but the few studies that considered time before diagnosis of cancer did not find increased risk for cholelithiasis diagnosed in the more distant past. There is weak evidence that cholecystectomy 2 or more years before cancer diagnosis is related to risk, but this is based on only a few studies. There is no consistent association between ulcers and risk, while gastrectomy may increase risk. Overall, study of these conditions, particularly those that are rare, presents methodologic challenges. Time between diagnoses is likely to be important but is not considered in most studies. Lack of adequate control in several studies for risk factors such as smoking and heavy alcohol use also makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions about these results. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  15. Fasting cycles potentiate the efficacy of gemcitabine treatment in in vitro and in vivo pancreatic cancer models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mazza, Tommaso; Panebianco, Concetta; Saracino, Chiara; Pereira, Stephen P.; Graziano, Paolo; Pazienza, Valerio

    2015-01-01

    Background/aims Pancreatic cancer (PC) is ranked as the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Despite recent advances in treatment options, a modest impact on the outcome of the disease is observed so far. Short-term fasting cycles have been shown to potentiate the efficacy of chemotherapy against glioma. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of fasting cycles on the efficacy of gemcitabine, a standard treatment for PC patients, in vitro and in an in vivo pancreatic cancer mouse xenograft model. Materials and Methods BxPC-3, MiaPaca-2 and Panc-1 cells were cultured in standard and fasting mimicking culturing condition to evaluate the effects of gemcitabine. Pancreatic cancer xenograft mice were subjected to 24h starvation prior to gemcitabine injection to assess the tumor volume and weight as compared to mice fed ad libitum. Results Fasted pancreatic cancer cells showed increased levels of equilibrative nucleoside transporter (hENT1), the transporter of gemcitabine across the cell membrane, and decreased ribonucleotide reductase M1 (RRM1) levels as compared to those cultured in standard medium. Gemcitabine was more effective in inducing cell death on fasted cells as compared to controls. Consistently, xenograft pancreatic cancer mice subjected to fasting cycles prior to gemcitabine injection displayed a decrease of more than 40% in tumor growth. Conclusion Fasting cycles enhance gemcitabine effect in vitro and in the in vivo PC xenograft mouse model. These results suggest that restrictive dietary interventions could enhance the efficacy of existing cancer treatments in pancreatic cancer patients. PMID:26176887

  16. Adipose tissue-derived stem cells promote pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and invasion

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ji, S.Q.; Cao, J.; Zhang, Q.Y.; Li, Y.Y.; Yan, Y.Q.; Yu, F.X.

    2013-01-01

    To explore the effects of adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) on the proliferation and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and the possible mechanism involved, ADSCs were cocultured with pancreatic cancer cells, and a cell counting kit (CCK-8) was used to detect the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells. ELISA was used to determine the concentration of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) in the supernatants. RT-PCR was performed to detect the expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 in pancreatic cancer cells and ADSCs. An in vitro invasion assay was used to measure invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. SDF-1 was detected in the supernatants of ADSCs, but not in pancreatic cancer cells. Higher CXCR4 mRNA levels were detected in the pancreatic cancer cell lines compared with ADSCs (109.3±10.7 and 97.6±7.6 vs 18.3±1.7, respectively; P<0.01). In addition, conditioned medium from ADSCs promoted the proliferation and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells, and AMD3100, a CXCR4 antagonist, significantly downregulated these growth-promoting effects. We conclude that ADSCs can promote the proliferation and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells, which may involve the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis

  17. Adipose tissue-derived stem cells promote pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and invasion

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ji, S.Q.; Cao, J. [Department of Liver Surgery I, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai (China); Zhang, Q.Y.; Li, Y.Y. [Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou (China); Yan, Y.Q. [Department of Liver Surgery I, Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai (China); Yu, F.X. [Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou (China)

    2013-09-27

    To explore the effects of adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ADSCs) on the proliferation and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and the possible mechanism involved, ADSCs were cocultured with pancreatic cancer cells, and a cell counting kit (CCK-8) was used to detect the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells. ELISA was used to determine the concentration of stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1) in the supernatants. RT-PCR was performed to detect the expression of the chemokine receptor CXCR4 in pancreatic cancer cells and ADSCs. An in vitro invasion assay was used to measure invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. SDF-1 was detected in the supernatants of ADSCs, but not in pancreatic cancer cells. Higher CXCR4 mRNA levels were detected in the pancreatic cancer cell lines compared with ADSCs (109.3±10.7 and 97.6±7.6 vs 18.3±1.7, respectively; P<0.01). In addition, conditioned medium from ADSCs promoted the proliferation and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells, and AMD3100, a CXCR4 antagonist, significantly downregulated these growth-promoting effects. We conclude that ADSCs can promote the proliferation and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells, which may involve the SDF-1/CXCR4 axis.

  18. Curcumin AntiCancer Studies in Pancreatic Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sabrina Bimonte

    2016-07-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer (PC is one of the deadliest cancers worldwide. Surgical resection remains the only curative therapeutic treatment for this disease, although only the minority of patients can be resected due to late diagnosis. Systemic gemcitabine-based chemotherapy plus nab-paclitaxel are used as the gold-standard therapy for patients with advanced PC; although this treatment is associated with a better overall survival compared to the old treatment, many side effects and poor results are still present. Therefore, new alternative therapies have been considered for treatment of advanced PC. Several preclinical studies have demonstrated that curcumin, a naturally occurring polyphenolic compound, has anticancer effects against different types of cancer, including PC, by modulating many molecular targets. Regarding PC, in vitro studies have shown potent cytotoxic effects of curcumin on different PC cell lines including MiaPaCa-2, Panc-1, AsPC-1, and BxPC-3. In addition, in vivo studies on PC models have shown that the anti-proliferative effects of curcumin are caused by the inhibition of oxidative stress and angiogenesis and are due to the induction of apoptosis. On the basis of these results, several researchers tested the anticancer effects of curcumin in clinical trials, trying to overcome the poor bioavailability of this agent by developing new bioavailable forms of curcumin. In this article, we review the results of pre-clinical and clinical studies on the effects of curcumin in the treatment of PC.

  19. Preoperative biliary drainage for pancreatic cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Heek, N. T.; Busch, O. R.; van Gulik, T. M.; Gouma, D. J.

    2014-01-01

    This review is to summarize the current knowledge about preoperative biliary drainage (PBD) in patients with biliary obstruction caused by pancreatic cancer. Most patients with pancreatic carcinoma (85%) will present with obstructive jaundice. The presence of toxic substances as bilirubin and bile

  20. Whole genomes redefine the mutational landscape of pancreatic cancer

    OpenAIRE

    Waddell, Nicola; Pajic, Marina; Patch, Ann-Marie; Chang, David K.; Kassahn, Karin S.; Bailey, Peter; Johns, Amber L.; Miller, David; Nones, Katia; Quek, Kelly; Quinn, Michael C. J.; Robertson, Alan J.; Fadlullah, Muhammad Z. H.; Bruxner, Tim J. C.; Christ, Angelika N.

    2015-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most lethal of malignancies and a major health burden. We performed whole-genome sequencing and copy number variation (CNV) analysis of 100 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs). Chromosomal rearrangements leading to gene disruption were prevalent, affecting genes known to be important in pancreatic cancer (TP53, SMAD4, CDKN2A, ARID1A and ROBO2) and new candidate drivers of pancreatic carcinogenesis (KDM6A and PREX2). Patterns of structural variation (...

  1. Pancreatic Resections for Advanced M1-Pancreatic Carcinoma: The Value of Synchronous Metastasectomy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. K. Seelig

    2010-01-01

    Materials and Methods. From January 1, 2004 to December, 2007 a total of 20 patients with pancreatic malignancies were retrospectively evaluated who underwent pancreatic surgery with synchronous resection of hepatic, adjacent organ, or peritoneal metastases for proven UICC stage IV periampullary cancer of the pancreas. Perioperative as well as clinicopathological parameters were evaluated. Results. There were 20 patients (9 men, 11 women; mean age 58 years identified. The primary tumor was located in the pancreatic head (n=9, 45%, in pancreatic tail (n=9, 45%, and in the papilla Vateri (n=2, 10%. Metastases were located in the liver (n=14, 70%, peritoneum (n=5, 25%, and omentum majus (n=2, 10%. Lymphnode metastases were present in 16 patients (80%. All patients received resection of their tumors together with metastasectomy. Pylorus preserving duodenopancreatectomy was performed in 8 patients, distal pancreatectomy in 8, duodenopancreatectomy in 2, and total pancreatectomy in 2. Morbidity was 45% and there was no perioperative mortality. Median postoperative survival was 10.7 months (2.6–37.7 months which was not significantly different from a matched-pair group of patients who underwent pancreatic resection for UICC adenocarcinoma of the pancreas (median survival 15.6 months; P=.1. Conclusion. Pancreatic resection for M1 periampullary cancer of the pancreas can be performed safely in well-selected patients. However, indication for surgery has to be made on an individual basis.

  2. The role of pancreatic cancer-derived exosomes in cancer progress and their potential application as biomarkers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jin, H; Wu, Y; Tan, X

    2017-08-01

    Pancreatic cancer is one of the most deadly cancers, with dismal prognosis due to its poor early detection rate and high metastatic rate. Thus, elucidation of the molecular mechanisms accounting for its metastasis and discovery of competent biomarkers is required. Exosomes are multivesicular body-derived small extracellular vesicles released by various cell types that serve as important message carriers during intercellular communication. They are also known to play critical roles during cancer-genesis, cancer-related immune reactions, and metastasis. They also possess promising potential as novel biomarkers for cancer early detection. Therefore, extensive studies on pancreatic cancer-derived exosomes are currently being performed because they hold the promising potential of elevating the overall survival rate of patients with pancreatic cancer. In the present review, we focus on the role of exosomes in pancreatic cancer-related immune reactions, metastasis, and complications, and on their potential application as pancreatic cancer biomarkers.

  3. Regular use of aspirin and pancreatic cancer risk

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mahoney Martin C

    2002-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Regular use of aspirin and other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs has been consistently associated with reduced risk of colorectal cancer and adenoma, and there is some evidence for a protective effect for other types of cancer. As experimental studies reveal a possible role for NSAIDs is reducing the risk of pancreatic cancer, epidemiological studies examining similar associations in human populations become more important. Methods In this hospital-based case-control study, 194 patients with pancreatic cancer were compared to 582 age and sex-matched patients with non-neoplastic conditions to examine the association between aspirin use and risk of pancreatic cancer. All participants received medical services at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo, NY and completed a comprehensive epidemiologic questionnaire that included information on demographics, lifestyle factors and medical history as well as frequency and duration of aspirin use. Patients using at least one tablet per week for at least six months were classified as regular aspirin users. Unconditional logistic regression was used to compute crude and adjusted odds ratios (ORs with 95% confidence intervals (CIs. Results Pancreatic cancer risk in aspirin users was not changed relative to non-users (adjusted OR = 1.00; 95% CI 0.72–1.39. No significant change in risk was found in relation to greater frequency or prolonged duration of use, in the total sample or in either gender. Conclusions These data suggest that regular aspirin use may not be associated with lower risk of pancreatic cancer.

  4. Risk factors for pancreatic cancer and early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yamao, Kenji; Mizuno, Nobumasa; Sawaki, Akira; Shimizu, Yasuhiro; Chang, K.J.

    2008-01-01

    This paper describes the strategy for improving the poor prognosis of the pancreatic (P) cancer by its early imaging diagnosis followed by resection, based on recent findings on its high risk group. Epidemiological studies have revealed that patients with diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, intraductal papillary-mucious tumor, P cyst, familial history of P cancer, and hereditary P cancer syndrome are involved in the high risk group of P cancer. Imaging diagnosis with CT and/or endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) followed by histological confirmation for resection can be a useful approach to improve the prognosis in those high risk, asymptomatic individuals with abnormal levels of P enzyme and tumor marker, and with US findings of P ductal dilation and cyst. The guideline 2006 for P cancer by Japan Pancreas Society shows the algorithm leading to the final diagnosis for the positive high risk group: firstly, CT and/or MRCP (MR cholangiopancreatography (CP)); or, in case of uncertainty, EUS and/or ERCP (E retrograde CP) and/or PET; and finally, cytological, histological diagnosis. The newer approach proposed recently for the group is: multi detector row (MD)-CT and EUS; then cytodiagnosis guided by ERCP and/or with fine needle aspiration by EUS, also a promising early diagnosis. As well, molecular biological approaches are supposedly useful for the future diagnosis. (R.T.)

  5. The Q705K and F359L Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms of NOD-Like Receptor Signaling Pathway: Association with Chronic Pancreatitis, Pancreatic Cancer, and Periodontitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miskiewicz, Andrzej; Szparecki, Grzegorz; Durlik, Marek; Rydzewska, Grażyna; Ziobrowski, Ireneusz; Górska, Renata

    2015-12-01

    The aim of this study was to establish the correlation between the occurrence of Q705K and F359L polymorphisms in patients diagnosed with pancreatic diseases and periodontal conditions of various degrees of severity. The above-mentioned genetic markers were assessed in patients with pancreatic cancer (n = 18) and chronic pancreatitis (n = 39) as well as in a healthy control group (n = 115). The established inclusion criteria were the following: Caucasian descent, non-smoking, and age range 20-80, with different levels of periodontitis activity according to S. Offenbacher's scale. The genotyping reactions were performed by means of an RT-PCR with the use of TaqMan(®) genotyping assay. Results of the study revealed that the state of periodontium was significantly worse in patients with chronic pancreatitis. The Q705K and F359L polymorphisms were associated with more advanced cases of periodontitis measured by clinical attachment level, whereas the Q705K was associated with intensified bleeding index. Furthermore, the F359L single-nucleotide polymorphism was significantly higher in the group with chronic pancreatitis (p periodontitis, pancreatic cancer, and chronic pancreatitis. These findings might constitute the basis for a new diagnostic and therapeutic approach.

  6. Hepatocyte Growth Factor from a Clinical Perspective: A Pancreatic Cancer Challenge

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rizwani, Wasia; Allen, Amanda E.; Trevino, Jose G.

    2015-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and incidence rates are rising. Both detection and treatment options for pancreatic cancer are limited, providing a less than 5% five-year survival advantage. The need for new biomarkers for early detection and treatment of pancreatic cancer demands the efficient translation of bench knowledge to provide clinical benefit. One source of therapeutic resistance is the pancreatic tumor microenvironment, which is characterized by desmoplasia and hypoxia making it less conducive to current therapies. A major factor regulating desmoplasia and subsequently promoting chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer is hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), the sole ligand for c-MET (mesenchymal-epithelial transition), an epithelial tyrosine kinase receptor. Binding of HGF to c-MET leads to receptor dimerization and autophosphorylation resulting in the activation of multiple cellular processes that support cancer progression. Inhibiting activation of c-MET in cancer cells, in combination with other approaches for reducing desmoplasia in the tumor microenvironment, might significantly improve the success of chemotherapy. Therefore, HGF makes a potent novel target for developing therapeutic strategies in combination with existing drugs for treating pancreatic adenocarcinoma. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of HGF and its promising potential as a chemotherapeutic target for pancreatic cancer

  7. Hepatocyte Growth Factor from a Clinical Perspective: A Pancreatic Cancer Challenge

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rizwani, Wasia [Department of Biochemistry, Osmania University, Hyderabad, Telangana 500007 (India); Allen, Amanda E.; Trevino, Jose G., E-mail: Jose.Trevino@surgery.ufl.edu [Department of Surgery, University of Florida, 1600 SW Archer Rd, Rm 6175, P.O. Box 100109, Gainesville, FL 32610 (United States)

    2015-09-03

    Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and incidence rates are rising. Both detection and treatment options for pancreatic cancer are limited, providing a less than 5% five-year survival advantage. The need for new biomarkers for early detection and treatment of pancreatic cancer demands the efficient translation of bench knowledge to provide clinical benefit. One source of therapeutic resistance is the pancreatic tumor microenvironment, which is characterized by desmoplasia and hypoxia making it less conducive to current therapies. A major factor regulating desmoplasia and subsequently promoting chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer is hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), the sole ligand for c-MET (mesenchymal-epithelial transition), an epithelial tyrosine kinase receptor. Binding of HGF to c-MET leads to receptor dimerization and autophosphorylation resulting in the activation of multiple cellular processes that support cancer progression. Inhibiting activation of c-MET in cancer cells, in combination with other approaches for reducing desmoplasia in the tumor microenvironment, might significantly improve the success of chemotherapy. Therefore, HGF makes a potent novel target for developing therapeutic strategies in combination with existing drugs for treating pancreatic adenocarcinoma. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of HGF and its promising potential as a chemotherapeutic target for pancreatic cancer.

  8. Hepatocyte Growth Factor from a Clinical Perspective: A Pancreatic Cancer Challenge

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wasia Rizwani

    2015-09-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States and incidence rates are rising. Both detection and treatment options for pancreatic cancer are limited, providing a less than 5% five-year survival advantage. The need for new biomarkers for early detection and treatment of pancreatic cancer demands the efficient translation of bench knowledge to provide clinical benefit. One source of therapeutic resistance is the pancreatic tumor microenvironment, which is characterized by desmoplasia and hypoxia making it less conducive to current therapies. A major factor regulating desmoplasia and subsequently promoting chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer is hepatocyte growth factor (HGF, the sole ligand for c-MET (mesenchymal-epithelial transition, an epithelial tyrosine kinase receptor. Binding of HGF to c-MET leads to receptor dimerization and autophosphorylation resulting in the activation of multiple cellular processes that support cancer progression. Inhibiting activation of c-MET in cancer cells, in combination with other approaches for reducing desmoplasia in the tumor microenvironment, might significantly improve the success of chemotherapy. Therefore, HGF makes a potent novel target for developing therapeutic strategies in combination with existing drugs for treating pancreatic adenocarcinoma. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of HGF and its promising potential as a chemotherapeutic target for pancreatic cancer.

  9. Pancreatic cancer vaccine: a unique potential therapy

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cappello P

    2015-12-01

    Full Text Available Paola Cappello, Moitza Principe, Francesco Novelli Department of Molecular Biotechnologies and Health Sciences, Center for Experimental Research and Medical Studies, AOU Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino, University of Turin, Turin, Italy Abstract: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA is a lethal disease and is one of the cancers that is most resistant to traditional therapies. Historically, neither chemotherapy nor radiotherapy has provided any significant increase in the survival of patients with PDA. Despite intensive efforts, any attempts to improve the survival in the past 15 years have failed. This holds true even after the introduction of molecularly targeted agents, chosen on the basis of their involvement in pathways that are considered to be important in PDA development and progression. Recently, however, FOLFIRINOX (5-fluorouracil, leucovorin, irinotecan, and oxaliplatin treatment has provided a limited survival advantage in patients with advanced PDA. Therefore, effective therapeutic strategies are urgently needed to improve the survival rate of patients with PDA. Results from the last 10 years of research in the field of PDA have helped to identify new immunological targets and develop new vaccines that are capable of stimulating an immune response. In addition, the information obtained about the role of the tumor microenvironment in suppressing the immune response and the possibility of targeting PDA microenvironment to limit immune suppression and enhance the response of effector T-cells has opened new avenues for treating this incurable disease. The time is ripe for developing new therapeutic approaches that are able to effectively counteract the progression and spreading of PDA. This review discusses the potential prospects in the care of patients with pancreatic cancer through vaccination and its combination therapy with surgery, chemotherapy, targeting of the tumor microenvironment, and inhibition of immunological

  10. Neural Regulation of Pancreatic Cancer: A Novel Target for Intervention

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang, Aeson; Kim-Fuchs, Corina; Le, Caroline P.; Hollande, Frédéric; Sloan, Erica K.

    2015-01-01

    The tumor microenvironment is known to play a pivotal role in driving cancer progression and governing response to therapy. This is of significance in pancreatic cancer where the unique pancreatic tumor microenvironment, characterized by its pronounced desmoplasia and fibrosis, drives early stages of tumor progression and dissemination, and contributes to its associated low survival rates. Several molecular factors that regulate interactions between pancreatic tumors and their surrounding stroma are beginning to be identified. Yet broader physiological factors that influence these interactions remain unclear. Here, we discuss a series of preclinical and mechanistic studies that highlight the important role chronic stress plays as a physiological regulator of neural-tumor interactions in driving the progression of pancreatic cancer. These studies propose several approaches to target stress signaling via the β-adrenergic signaling pathway in order to slow pancreatic tumor growth and metastasis. They also provide evidence to support the use of β-blockers as a novel therapeutic intervention to complement current clinical strategies to improve cancer outcome in patients with pancreatic cancer

  11. Neural Regulation of Pancreatic Cancer: A Novel Target for Intervention

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chang, Aeson [Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052 (Australia); Kim-Fuchs, Corina [Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052 (Australia); Department of Visceral Surgery and Medicine, University Hospital Bern, Bern 3010 (Switzerland); Le, Caroline P. [Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052 (Australia); Hollande, Frédéric [Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052 (Australia); Department of Pathology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010 (Australia); Sloan, Erica K., E-mail: erica.sloan@monash.edu [Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Victoria 3052 (Australia); Cousins Center for PNI, UCLA Semel Institute, Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, and UCLA AIDS Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095 (United States); Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Division of Cancer Surgery, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002 (Australia)

    2015-07-17

    The tumor microenvironment is known to play a pivotal role in driving cancer progression and governing response to therapy. This is of significance in pancreatic cancer where the unique pancreatic tumor microenvironment, characterized by its pronounced desmoplasia and fibrosis, drives early stages of tumor progression and dissemination, and contributes to its associated low survival rates. Several molecular factors that regulate interactions between pancreatic tumors and their surrounding stroma are beginning to be identified. Yet broader physiological factors that influence these interactions remain unclear. Here, we discuss a series of preclinical and mechanistic studies that highlight the important role chronic stress plays as a physiological regulator of neural-tumor interactions in driving the progression of pancreatic cancer. These studies propose several approaches to target stress signaling via the β-adrenergic signaling pathway in order to slow pancreatic tumor growth and metastasis. They also provide evidence to support the use of β-blockers as a novel therapeutic intervention to complement current clinical strategies to improve cancer outcome in patients with pancreatic cancer.

  12. Palliative Interventional and Surgical Therapy for Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Assfalg, Volker; Hüser, Norbert; Michalski, Christoph; Gillen, Sonja; Kleeff, Jorg; Friess, Helmut

    2011-01-01

    Palliative treatment concepts are considered in patients with non-curatively resectable and/or metastasized pancreatic cancer. However, patients without metastases, but presented with marginally resectable or locally non-resectable tumors should not be treated by a palliative therapeutic approach. These patients should be enrolled in neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy trials because a potentially curative resection can be achieved in approximately one-third of them after finishing treatment and restaging. Within the scope of best possible palliative care, resection of the primary cancer together with excision of metastases represents a therapeutic option to be contemplated in selected cases. Comprehensive palliative therapy is based on treatment of bile duct or duodenal obstruction for certain locally unresectable or metastasized advanced pancreatic cancer. However, endoscopic or percutaneous stenting procedures and surgical bypass provide safe and highly effective therapeutic alternatives. In case of operative drainage of the biliary tract (biliodigestive anastomosis), the prophylactic creation of a gastro-intestinal bypass (double bypass) is recommended. The decision to perform a surgical versus an endoscopic procedure for palliation depends to a great extent on the tumor stage and the estimated prognosis, and should be determined by an interdisciplinary team for each patient individually

  13. Palliative Interventional and Surgical Therapy for Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Assfalg, Volker; Hüser, Norbert; Michalski, Christoph; Gillen, Sonja; Kleeff, Jorg; Friess, Helmut, E-mail: friess@chir.med.tu-muenchen.de [Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaningerstr. 22, D-81675 Munich (Germany)

    2011-02-14

    Palliative treatment concepts are considered in patients with non-curatively resectable and/or metastasized pancreatic cancer. However, patients without metastases, but presented with marginally resectable or locally non-resectable tumors should not be treated by a palliative therapeutic approach. These patients should be enrolled in neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy trials because a potentially curative resection can be achieved in approximately one-third of them after finishing treatment and restaging. Within the scope of best possible palliative care, resection of the primary cancer together with excision of metastases represents a therapeutic option to be contemplated in selected cases. Comprehensive palliative therapy is based on treatment of bile duct or duodenal obstruction for certain locally unresectable or metastasized advanced pancreatic cancer. However, endoscopic or percutaneous stenting procedures and surgical bypass provide safe and highly effective therapeutic alternatives. In case of operative drainage of the biliary tract (biliodigestive anastomosis), the prophylactic creation of a gastro-intestinal bypass (double bypass) is recommended. The decision to perform a surgical versus an endoscopic procedure for palliation depends to a great extent on the tumor stage and the estimated prognosis, and should be determined by an interdisciplinary team for each patient individually.

  14. Laboratory diagnosis of pancreatitis and cancer of the pancreas

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Degtyareva, I.I.; Gajsenko, A.V.; Putseva, N.M.

    1989-01-01

    The content of fibrin fibrinogen splitting products (FSP), radioimmune trypsine, C-peptide and carbohydrate antigen (CA) 19-9 in the blood of 82 patients with acute pancreatitis (edematous and hemorrhagic), and chronic recurrent pancreatitis at the stage of exacerbation, 42 patients with chronic pancreatitis, 34 patients with cancer of the pancreas (stages 3-4) and 22 healthy persons were studied. Results indicate a high diagnostic value of determination FSP, trypsin and C-peptide in patients with acute pancreatitis and chronic recurring pancreatitis at the stage of exacerbation, trypsin and C-peptide in patients with chronic pancreatitis associated with severe exocrinous insufficiency of the pancreas, KA 19-9 in patients with cancer of the pancreas

  15. Stem cell-based approach in diabetes and pancreatic cancer management

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yi-Zhou Jiang

    2017-01-01

    Full Text Available Stem cell-mediated therapy is a promising strategy for treating pancreatic diseases such as Type-1 diabetes (T1D and pancreatic cancers. Although islet transplantation has been reported to be an effective diabetes therapy, its worldwide application is extremely limited due to the shortage of donor islets and immune rejection problems. Stem cell-based approach for islet neogenesis in vivo could provide a promising alternative source of islets for treating diabetes. On the other hand, targeting the cancer stem cells could be very effective for the treatment of pancreatic cancers. In this review, we focused on the present progress in the field of adult pancreatic stem cells, stem cell-mediated strategies for treating T1D, and pancreatic cancer stem cells, while discussing of the possible challenges involved in them.

  16. Nutritional links to plausible mechanisms underlying pancreatic cancer: a conference report.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hine, R Jean; Srivastava, Sudhir; Milner, John A; Ross, Sharon A

    2003-11-01

    Adenocarcinoma of the pancreas is one of most catastrophic and least understood of cancers. Evidence from clinical studies indicates that the development of pancreas cancer progresses over many years before symptoms appear. Most people with pancreatic cancer die within six months of diagnosis. The lack of early disease markers, the paucity of direct subject/patient interview data and limited availability of high quality biological samples have slowed progress toward identifying environmental and genetic disease risk factors. Much remains to be learned about the development of pancreatic cancer and about potential interventions for disease prevention. Epidemiological and mechanistic studies examining risk factors for pancreatic cancer supply little consistent or strong evidence to provide a cohesive prevention strategy for this cancer, but offer clues for future research concerning the prevention and early detection of this devastating disease. This Executive Summary provides background discussion on pancreatic cancer and summaries of each of the topics discussed at the workshop, including 1) Molecular aspects, 2) Dietary and other risk factors for pancreatic cancer, 3) The metabolic hypothesis for pancreatic cancer, 4) Preclinical studies on pancreatic cancer, 5) Methylation, 6) Oxidative stress and 7) Biomarker Profiling. This document also contains a compilation of recommendations for future research, concluding remarks, a list of speakers and participants attending the workshop, and a selection of key references to aid future research into nutritional links to mechanisms underlying pancreas cancer. The recommendations section suggests gaps in current knowledge and articulates future directions for this area of investigation.

  17. Pancreatic Cancer Risk Prediction Models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Developing statistical models that estimate the probability of developing pancreatic cancer over a defined period of time will help clinicians identify individuals at higher risk of specific cancers, allowing for earlier or more frequent screening and counseling of behavioral changes to decrease risk.

  18. The pathobiological impact of cigarette smoke on pancreatic cancer development (review).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wittel, Uwe A; Momi, Navneet; Seifert, Gabriel; Wiech, Thorsten; Hopt, Ulrich T; Batra, Surinder K

    2012-07-01

    Despite extensive efforts, pancreatic cancer remains incurable. Most risk factors, such as genetic disposition, metabolic diseases or chronic pancreatitis cannot be influenced. By contrast, cigarette smoking, an important risk factor for pancreatic cancer, can be controlled. Despite the epidemiological evidence of the detrimental effects of cigarette smoking with regard to pancreatic cancer development and its unique property of being influenceable, our understanding of cigarette smoke-induced pancreatic carcinogenesis is limited. Current data on cigarette smoke-induced pancreatic carcinogenesis indicate multifactorial events that are triggered by nicotine, which is the major pharmacologically active constituent of tobacco smoke. In addition to nicotine, a vast number of carcinogens have the potential to reach the pancreatic gland, where they are metabolized, in some instances to even more toxic compounds. These metabolic events are not restricted to pancreatic ductal cells. Several studies show that acinar cells are also greatly affected. Furthermore, pancreatic cancer progenitor cells do not only derive from the ductal epithelial lineage, but also from acinar cells. This sheds new light on cigarette smoke-induced acinar cell damage. On this background, our objective is to outline a multifactorial model of tobacco smoke-induced pancreatic carcinogenesis.

  19. A diagnostic pitfall: pancreatic tuberculosis, not pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samuel, D.O.; Mukhtar, A.A.M.; Philip, I.O.

    2013-01-01

    Abdominal tuberculosis (TB) is one of the most common forms of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis and is responsible for considerable morbidity and mortality globally. Tuberculosis can involve any part of the gastrointestinal tract from mouth to anus, the peritoneum, liver, spleen and the pancreatobiliary system. The occurrence of abdominal TB is independent of pulmonary disease in most patients, with a reported incidence of co-existing pulmonary disease varying from 6 to 38% worldwide. We report a case of pancreatic tuberculosis also involving the vertebrae, which was initially treated as a case of pancreatic cancer. (author)

  20. Survivin as a radioresistance factor in pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Asanuma, Koichi; Moriai, Ryosuke; Yajima, Tomomi; Yagihashi, Atsuhito; Yamada, Mikako; Kobayashi, Daisuke; Watanabe, Naoki

    2000-01-01

    We examined whether survivin acts as a constitutive and inducible radioresistance factor in pancreatic cancer cells. Using a quantitative TaqMan reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction for survivin mRNA in five pancreatic cancer cell lines, we found an inverse relationship between survivin mRNA expression and radiosensitivity. PANC-1 cells, which had the highest survivin mRNA levels, were most resistant to X-irradiation; MIAPaCa-2 cells, which showed the least survivin mRNA expression, were the most sensitive to X-irradiation. Our results suggested that survivin could act as a constitutive radioresistance factor in pancreatic cancer cells. To determine whether radioresistance is enhanced by induction of survivin expression by irradiation, PANC-1 and MIAPaCa-2 cells were subjected to sublethal doses of X-irradiation followed by a lethal dose. Survivin mRNA expression was increased significantly in both PANC-1 and MIAPaCa-2 cell lines by pretreatment with a sublethal dose of X-irradiation, as was cell survival after exposure to the lethal dose. In this system, enzymatic caspase-3 activity was significantly suppressed in cells with acquired resistance. These results suggest that survivin also acts as an inducible radioresistance factor in pancreatic cancer cells. Survivin, then, appears to enhance radioresistance in pancreatic cancer cells; inhibition of survivin mRNA expression may improve the effectiveness of radiotherapy. (author)

  1. Danish Pancreatic Cancer Database

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fristrup, Claus; Detlefsen, Sönke; Palnæs Hansen, Carsten

    2016-01-01

    : Death is monitored using data from the Danish Civil Registry. This registry monitors the survival status of the Danish population, and the registration is virtually complete. All data in the database are audited by all participating institutions, with respect to baseline characteristics, key indicators......AIM OF DATABASE: The Danish Pancreatic Cancer Database aims to prospectively register the epidemiology, diagnostic workup, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome of patients with pancreatic cancer in Denmark at an institutional and national level. STUDY POPULATION: Since May 1, 2011, all patients...... with microscopically verified ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas have been registered in the database. As of June 30, 2014, the total number of patients registered was 2,217. All data are cross-referenced with the Danish Pathology Registry and the Danish Patient Registry to ensure the completeness of registrations...

  2. A prospective randomized study of gemcitabine with doxifluridine versus paclitaxel with doxifluridine in concurrent chemoradiotherapy for locally advanced pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chung, Hye Won; Bang, Seung Min; Park, Seung Woo; Chung, Jae Bock; Kang, Jin Kyung; Kim, Ju Won; Seong, Jin Sil; Lee, Woo Jung; Song, Si Young

    2004-01-01

    Purpose: The objective of this study was to compare the efficacy and toxicity of gemcitabine-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) with paclitaxel-based CCRT in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Methods and materials: A total of 48 patients who had received no prior therapy were enrolled. The patients were treated with 4500 cGy radiation in 25 fractions over 5 weeks concomitant with gemcitabine 1000 mg/m 2 /week/intravenously (IV) and doxifluridine 600 mg/m 2 /day/by mouth (PO), or paclitaxel 50 mg/m 2 /week/IV and doxifluridine 600 mg/m 2 /day/PO. After a 4-week rest, the responses were evaluated and maintenance therapies (operation or chemotherapy) (gemcitabine 1000 mg/m 2 /week/IV and doxifluridine 600 mg/m 2 /day/PO) were conducted. Results: The median survival was 12 months in the gemcitabine group vs. 14 months in the paclitaxel group. The response rate was 13.6% vs. 25%, and the median time to progression was 12 months vs. 12.5 months, respectively. The positive rate of the clinical benefit response was 59.1% vs. 41.7%, respectively. Toxicities were acceptable in both groups. Conclusion: In this trial, we demonstrated that the gemcitabine-based CCRT and the paclitaxel-based CCRT in combination of doxifluridine are clearly acceptable treatment strategy, and appear more effective than the 5 fluorouracil-based CCRT for locally advanced pancreatic cancer with comparable tolerability. Furthermore, the paclitaxel-based CCRT showed similar efficacy and toxicities to the gemcitabine-based treatment when it was combined with 5-fluorouracil

  3. Comparing human pancreatic cell secretomes by in vitro aptamer selection identifies cyclophilin B as a candidate pancreatic cancer biomarker.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ray, Partha; Rialon-Guevara, Kristy L; Veras, Emanuela; Sullenger, Bruce A; White, Rebekah R

    2012-05-01

    Most cases of pancreatic cancer are not diagnosed until they are no longer curable with surgery. Therefore, it is critical to develop a sensitive, preferably noninvasive, method for detecting the disease at an earlier stage. In order to identify biomarkers for pancreatic cancer, we devised an in vitro positive/negative selection strategy to identify RNA ligands (aptamers) that could detect structural differences between the secretomes of pancreatic cancer and non-cancerous cells. Using this molecular recognition approach, we identified an aptamer (M9-5) that differentially bound conditioned media from cancerous and non-cancerous human pancreatic cell lines. This aptamer further discriminated between the sera of pancreatic cancer patients and healthy volunteers with high sensitivity and specificity. We utilized biochemical purification methods and mass-spectrometric analysis to identify the M9-5 target as cyclophilin B (CypB). This molecular recognition-based strategy simultaneously identified CypB as a serum biomarker and generated a new reagent to recognize it in body fluids. Moreover, this approach should be generalizable to other diseases and complementary to traditional approaches that focus on differences in expression level between samples. Finally, we suggest that the aptamer we identified has the potential to serve as a tool for the early detection of pancreatic cancer.

  4. GSK3β and β-Catenin Modulate Radiation Cytotoxicity in Pancreatic Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Richard L. Watson

    2010-05-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Knowledge of factors and mechanisms contributing to the inherent radioresistance of pancreatic cancer may improve cancer treatment. Irradiation inhibits glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β by phosphorylation at serine 9. In turn, release of cytosolic membrane β-catenin with subsequent nuclear translocation promotes survival. Both GSK3β and β-catenin have been implicated in cancer cell proliferation and resistance to death. METHODS: We investigated pancreatic cancer cell survival after radiation in vitro and in vivo, with a particular focus on the role of the function of the GSK3β/β-catenin axis. RESULTS: Lithium chloride, RNAi-medicated silencing of GSK3β, or the expression of a kinase dead mutant GSK3β resulted in radioresistance of Panc1 and BxPC3 pancreatic cancer cells. Conversely, ectopic expression of a constitutively active form of GSK3β resulted in radiosensitization of Panc1 cells. GSK3β silencing increased radiation-induced β-catenin target gene expression asmeasured by studies of AXIN2 and LEF1 transcript levels. Western blot analysis of total and phosphorylated levels of GSK3β and β-catenin showed that GSK3β inhibition resulted in stabilization of β-catenin. Xenografts of both BxPC3 and Panc1 with targeted silencing of GSK3β exhibited radioresistance in vivo. Silencing of β-catenin resulted in radiosensitization, whereas a nondegradable β-catenin construct induced radioresistance. CONCLUSIONS: These data support the hypothesis that GSK3β modulates the cellular response to radiation in a β-catenin-dependent mechanism. Further understanding of this pathway may enhance the development of clinical trials combining drugs inhibiting β-catenin activation with radiation and chemotherapy in locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

  5. CT of the pancreatic body and tail in cancer of the head

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ono, Minoru; Muranaka, Tooru; Nishitani, Hiromu; Onitsuka, Hideo; Kawanami, Takashi; Matsuura, Keiichi

    1983-01-01

    In comparison with chronic pancreatitis (27 cases), CT images of secondary changes in the pancreatic body and tail in cancer of the pancreatic head were studied in 17 cases. In cancer cases, the pancreatic duct was dilated in a rosary or linear form, and a fairly large portion of the duct was visualized in continuation in one slice. The parenchyma was uniformly atrophic. Chronic pancreatitis demonstrated various CT images. In the localized-mass-forming type, the pancreatic body and tail showed findings similar to those of cancer in some cases, but unevenness of the pancreatic parenchyma and flexion, tortuosity and discontinuity of the pancreatic duct were observed only in chronic pancreatitis. As well as improvement in CT images, the spatial relationship between the pancreatic duct and parenchyma should be studied in more detail. (Chiba, N.)

  6. Development of pancreatic cancer is predictable well in advance using contrast-enhanced CT: a case-cohort study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Gonoi, Wataru; Hayashi, Takana Yamakawa; Okuma, Hidemi; Ohtomo, Kuni [The University of Tokyo, Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo (Japan); Akahane, Masaaki [The University of Tokyo, Department of Radiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo (Japan); NTT Medical Centre Tokyo, Department of Radiology, Tokyo (Japan); Nakai, Yousuke; Mizuno, Suguru; Tateishi, Ryosuke; Isayama, Hiroyuki; Koike, Kazuhiko [The University of Tokyo, Department of Gastroenterology, Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo (Japan)

    2017-12-15

    To investigate the radiological findings prognostic for the development of pancreatic adenocarcinoma in a cohort of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma, using multiphasic computed tomography (CT). A case-cohort study performed in a single university hospital. A database of patients who received hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment and trimonthly follow-up with four-phase dynamic CT was used (n = 1848). The cohort group was randomly extracted from the database (n = 103). The case group comprised nine patients from the database who developed pancreatic adenocarcinoma. The radiological findings were assessed during follow-up (average, 32 months). The incidence of pancreatic mass, inhomogeneous parenchyma, loss of fatty marbling and main pancreatic duct dilatation gradually increased from 4 to 13 months before the diagnosis of pancreatic adenocarcinoma. There was a significantly higher incidence of pancreatic mass, inhomogeneous parenchyma and loss of fatty marbling on CT at baseline (average, 34 months before diagnosis) in the case group compared with the cohort group (P values < 0.01) and those findings at baseline were revealed as prognostic factors for pancreatic carcinogenesis, respectively (log-rank test, P values < 0.001). Several radiological findings observed on multiphasic CT can assist in predicting pancreatic carcinogenesis well in advance. (orig.)

  7. A novel monoclonal antibody targeting carboxymethyllysine, an advanced glycation end product in atherosclerosis and pancreatic cancer.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ulrika Wendel

    Full Text Available Advanced glycation end products are formed by non-enzymatic reactions between proteins and carbohydrates, causing irreversible lysine and arginine alterations that severely affect protein structure and function. The resulting modifications induce inflammation by binding to scavenger receptors. An increase in advanced glycation end products is observed in a number of diseases e.g. atherosclerosis and cancer. Since advanced glycation end products also are present in healthy individuals, their detection and quantification are of great importance for usage as potential biomarkers. Current methods for advanced glycation end product detection are though limited and solely measure total glycation. This study describes a new epitope-mapped single chain variable fragment, D1-B2, against carboxymethyllysine, produced from a phage library that was constructed from mouse immunizations. The phage library was selected against advanced glycation end product targets using a phage display platform. Characterization of its binding pattern was performed using large synthetic glycated peptide and protein libraries displayed on microarray slides. D1-B2 showed a preference for an aspartic acid, three positions N-terminally from a carboxymethyllysine residue and also bound to a broad collection of glycated proteins. Positive immunohistochemical staining of mouse atherosclerotic plaques and of a tissue microarray of human pancreatic tumors confirmed the usability of the new scFv for advanced glycation end product detection in tissues. This study demonstrates a promising methodology for high-throughput generation of epitope-mapped monoclonal antibodies against AGE.

  8. Ultrasound-enhanced nanotherapy of pancreatic cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rapoport, N.; Nam, K.-H.; Christensen, D. A.; Kennedy, A. M.; Shea, J. E.; Scaife, C. L.

    2010-03-01

    The paper reports in vivo results of ultrasonic nanotherapy of orthotopically grown pancreatic cancer. Phase-shift paclitaxel (PTX) loaded perfluoropentane (PFP) nanoemusions combined with tumor-directed ultrasound have been used with a considerable success for tumor-targeted chemotherapy of gemcitabin (GEM)-refractory pancreatic cancer (PC). The GEM-resistant pancreatic cancer proved sensitive to treatment by a micellar PTX formulation Genexol PM (GEN) andor nanodroplet PTX formulation ndGEN. Due to increased permeability of tumor blood vessels, drug-loaded nanodroplets accumulated in the tumor via passive targeting, which was confirmed by ultrasound imaging. Nanodroplets converted into microbubbles in situ under the action of tumor-directed 1-MHz therapeutic ultrasound. The strongest therapeutic effect was observed for the combination therapy by PTX-loaded nanodroplets, GEM and ultrasound (ndGEN+GEM+ultrasound). This combination therapy resulted in a spectacular tumor regression and in some cases complete tumor resolution. Moreover, formation of metastases was dramatically decreased and ascitis generation was completely suppressed. However for all animal groups, local tumor recurrence was observed after the completion of the treatment indicating that some cancer cells survived the treatment. The recurrent tumors proved more resistant to the repeated therapy than initial tumors.

  9. [Surgery for pancreatic cancer: Evidence-based surgical strategies].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sánchez Cabús, Santiago; Fernández-Cruz, Laureano

    2015-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer surgery represents a challenge for surgeons due to its technical complexity, the potential complications that may appear, and ultimately because of its poor survival. The aim of this article is to summarize the scientific evidence regarding the surgical treatment of pancreatic cancer in order to help surgeons in the decision making process in the management of these patients .Here we will review such fundamental issues as the need for a biopsy before surgery, the type of pancreatic anastomosis leading to better results, and the need for placement of drains after pancreatic surgery will be discussed. Copyright © 2014 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

  10. Gallstones, a cholecystectomy, chronic pancreatitis, and the risk of subsequent pancreatic cancer in diabetic patients: a population-based cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lai, Hsueh-Chou; Tsai, I-Ju; Chen, Pei-Chun; Muo, Chih-Hsin; Chou, Jen-Wei; Peng, Cheng-Yuan; Lai, Shih-Wei; Sung, Fung-Chang; Lyu, Shu-Yu; Morisky, Donald E

    2013-06-01

    The causal association between diabetes and pancreatic cancer remains unclear in Asian populations. This study examined whether gallstones, a cholecystectomy, chronic pancreatitis and the treatment of antidiabetic agents affect the risk of subsequent pancreatic cancer for patients with diabetes in a Taiwanese population. Using claims data from the universal health insurance program in Taiwan, 449,685 newly diagnosed diabetic cases among insured people from 2000 to 2003 were identified as the case group. The comparison group, matched for gender, age, and the index year of the diabetes cohort, consisted of 325,729 persons without diabetes. Pancreatic cancer incidence was measured in both groups until the end of 2008. Other risk factors associated with this cancer were also measured. The incidence of pancreatic cancer in the diabetic cohort was 2-fold greater than that in the comparison group (1.46 vs. 0.71 per 10,000 person-years) with an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 1.75 [95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.45-2.10]. The risk slightly increased for diabetic patients with gallstones, cholecystitis, and a cholecystectomy (HR 1.92, 95% CI 1.18-3.11), but greatly increased for those with comorbidity of chronic pancreatitis (HR 22.9, 95% CI 12.6-41.4). Pancreatic cancer risk also increased significantly for those patients who used more insulin for treating diabetes (OR 2.20, 95% CI 1.40-3.45). Our data suggest that the risk of pancreatic cancer is moderately increased in patients with diabetes, especially those using insulin therapy. The risk is greatly increased for diabetic patients with chronic pancreatitis.

  11. Circulating Microvesicles from Pancreatic Cancer Accelerate the Migration and Proliferation of PANC-1 Cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    An, Mingrui; Zhu, Jianhui; Wu, Jing; Cuneo, Kyle C; Lubman, David M

    2018-04-06

    Circulating microvesicles are able to mediate long-distance cell-cell communications. It is essential to understand how microvesicles from pancreatic cancer act on other cells in the body. In this work, serum-derived microvesicles were isolated from 10 patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer and healthy controls. Using Cell Transwell and WST-1 reagents, we found that microvesicles from pancreatic cancer accelerated migration and proliferation of PANC-1 cells. Meanwhile, the proliferation of these cancer-microvesicle-treated cells (CMTCs) was affected less by 10 μM of gemcitabine relative to healthy microvesicle-treated cells (HMTCs). Next, we optimized the filter-aided sample preparation method to increase the recovery of protein samples and then applied it to the quantification of the proteome of CMTCs and HMTCs. The peptides were labeled and analyzed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. In total, 4102 proteins were identified, where 35 proteins were up-regulated with 27 down-regulated in CMTCs. We verified the quantitative results of three key proteins CD44, PPP2R1A, and TP53 by Western blot. The Ingenuity Pathway Analysis revealed pathways that cancer microvesicles might participate in to promote cell migration and proliferation. These findings may provide novel clues of treatment for tumorigenesis and metastasis.

  12. Clinicopathologic characteristics, laboratory parameters, treatment protocols, and outcomes of pancreatic cancer: a retrospective cohort study of 1433 patients in China

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shuisheng Zhang

    2018-05-01

    Full Text Available Objectives The prognosis of people with pancreatic cancer is extremely unfavorable. However, the prognostic factors remain largely undefined. We aimed to perform comprehensive analyses of clinicopathologic characteristics, laboratory parameters, and treatment protocols for exploring their role as prognostic factors of pancreatic cancer. Methods Patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and hospitalized at the China National Cancer Center between April 2006 and May 2016 were enrolled in this retrospective cohort study. Clinicopathologic characteristics, laboratory parameters, and treatment protocols were compared among patients at different stages of the disease. The association between these factors and overall survival (OS was analyzed using the Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional hazards model. Results The present study included 1,433 consecutive patients with pancreatic cancer. Median OS was 10.6 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 9.8–11.3 months, with 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival rates of 43.7%, 14.8%, and 8.8%, respectively. Cox multivariate analysis findings identified the following factors as independent predictors of OS: gender (female vs male, hazard ratio 0.72, 95% CI [0.54–0.95]; elevated total bilirubin (TBil; 1.82, 1.34–2.47; elevated carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA19-9; 1.72, 1.17–2.54; tumor being located in pancreatic body and tail (1.52, 1.10–2.10; advanced T stage (T3-4 vs T1-2, 1.62, 1.15–2.27; lymph node metastasis (1.57, 1.20–2.07; distant metastasis (1.59, 1.12–2.27; the presence of surgical resection (0.53, 0.34–0.81; and the presence of systemic chemotherapy (0.62, 0.45–0.82. Conclusions Being male, elevated TBil and carcinoembryonic antigen, tumor being located in pancreatic body and tail, advanced T stage, lymph node and distant metastasis, the absence of surgical resection, and the absence of systematic chemotherapy were associated with worse OS in patients with pancreatic cancer.

  13. Outcomes after extended pancreatectomy in patients with borderline resectable and locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hartwig, W; Gluth, A; Hinz, U; Koliogiannis, D; Strobel, O; Hackert, T; Werner, J; Büchler, M W

    2016-11-01

    In the recent International Study Group of Pancreatic Surgery (ISGPS) consensus on extended pancreatectomy, several issues on perioperative outcome and long-term survival remained unclear. Robust data on outcomes are sparse. The present study aimed to assess the outcome of extended pancreatectomy for borderline resectable and locally advanced pancreatic cancer. A consecutive series of patients with primary pancreatic adenocarcinoma undergoing extended pancreatectomies, as defined by the new ISGPS consensus, were compared with patients who had a standard pancreatectomy. Univariable and multivariable analysis was performed to identify risk factors for perioperative mortality and characteristics associated with survival. Long-term outcome was assessed by means of Kaplan-Meier analysis. The 611 patients who had an extended pancreatectomy had significantly greater surgical morbidity than the 1217 patients who underwent a standard resection (42·7 versus 34·2 per cent respectively), and higher 30-day mortality (4·3 versus 1·8 per cent) and in-hospital mortality (7·5 versus 3·6 per cent) rates. Operating time of 300 min or more, extended total pancreatectomy, and ASA fitness grade of III or IV were associated with increased in-hospital mortality in multivariable analysis, whereas resections involving the colon, portal vein or arteries were not. Median survival and 5-year overall survival rate were reduced in patients having extended pancreatectomy compared with those undergoing a standard resection (16·1 versus 23·6 months, and 11·3 versus 20·6 per cent, respectively). Older age, G3/4 tumours, two or more positive lymph nodes, macroscopic positive resection margins, duration of surgery of 420 min or above, and blood loss of 1000 ml or more were independently associated with decreased overall survival. Extended resections are associated with increased perioperative morbidity and mortality, particularly when extended total pancreatectomy is performed. Favourable

  14. Phase-II study on stereotactic radiotherapy of locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hoyer, Morten; Roed, Henrik; Sengelov, Lisa; Traberg, Anders; Ohlhuis, Lars; Pedersen, Jorgen; Nellemann, Hanne; Kiil Berthelsen, Anne; Eberholst, Frey; Engelholm, Svend Aage; Maase, Hans von der

    2005-01-01

    Background and purpose: The majority of patients with pancreatic cancer have advanced disease at the time of diagnosis and are not amenable for surgery. Stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) may be an alternative treatment for patients with locally advanced disease. The effect of SRT was investigated in the present phase-II trial. Patients and methods: Twenty-two patients with locally advanced and surgically non-resectable, histological proven pancreatic carcinoma were included into the trial. The patients were immobilized by the Elekta stereotactic body frame (SBF) or a custom made body frame. SRT was given on standard LINAC with standard multi-leaf collimator. Central dose was 15 Gyx3 within 5-10 days. Results: Evaluation of response was found to be very difficult due to radiation and tumour related tissue reaction. Only two patients (9%) were found to have a partial response (PR), the remaining had no change (NC) or progression (PD) after treatment. Six patients had local tumour progression, but only one patient had an isolated local failure without simultaneous distant metastasis. Median time to local or distant progression was 4.8 months. Median survival time was 5.7 months and only 5% were alive 1 year after treatment. Acute toxicity reported 14 days after treatment was pronounced. There was a significant deterioration of performance status (P=0.008), more nausea (P=0.001) and more pain (P=0.008) after 14 days compared with base-line. However, 8 of 12 patients (66%) improved in performance status, scored less nausea, pain, or needed less analgesic drugs at 3 months after treatment. Four patients suffered from severe mucositis or ulceration of the stomach or duodenum and one of the patients had a non-fatal ulcer perforation of the stomach. Conclusions: SRT was associated with poor outcome, unacceptable toxicity and questionable palliative effect and cannot be recommended for patients with advanced pancreatic carcinoma

  15. Prospective assessment of the influence of pancreatic cancer resection on exocrine pancreatic function.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sikkens, E C M; Cahen, D L; de Wit, J; Looman, C W N; van Eijck, C; Bruno, M J

    2014-01-01

    Exocrine insufficiency frequently develops in patients with pancreatic cancer owing to tumour ingrowth and pancreatic duct obstruction. Surgery might restore this function by removing the primary disease and restoring duct patency, but it may also have the opposite effect, as a result of resection of functional parenchyma and anatomical changes. This study evaluated the course of pancreatic function, before and after pancreatic resection. This prospective cohort study included patients with tumours in the pancreatic region requiring pancreatic resection in a tertiary referral centre between March 2010 and August 2012. Starting before surgery, exocrine function was determined monthly by measuring faecal elastase 1 levels (normal value over 0.200 µg per g faeces). Endocrine function, steatorrhoea-related symptoms and bodyweight were also evaluated before and after surgery. Subjects were followed from diagnosis until 6 months after surgery, or until death. Twenty-nine patients were included, 12 with pancreatic cancer, 14 with ampullary carcinoma and three with bile duct carcinoma (median tumour size 2.6 cm). Twenty-six patients underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy and three distal pancreatectomy. Thirteen patients had exocrine insufficiency at preoperative diagnosis. After a median follow-up of 6 months, this had increased to 24 patients. Diabetes was present in seven patients at diagnosis, and developed in one additional patient within 1 month after surgery. Most patients with tumours in the pancreatic region requiring pancreatic resection either had exocrine insufficiency at diagnosis or became exocrine-insufficient soon after surgical resection. © 2013 BJS Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

  16. Low concentrations of metformin selectively inhibit CD133⁺ cell proliferation in pancreatic cancer and have anticancer action.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shanmiao Gou

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer related deaths in the United States. The prognosis remains dismal with little advance in treatment. Metformin is a drug widely used for the treatment of type II diabetes. Recent epidemiologic data revealed that oral administration of metformin is associated with a reduced risk of pancreatic cancer, suggesting its potential as a novel drug for this disease. Many studies have demonstrated the in vitro anticancer action of metformin, but the typically used concentrations were much higher than the in vivo plasma and tissue concentrations achieved with recommended therapeutic doses of metformin, and low concentrations of metformin had little effect on the proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells. We examined the effect of low concentrations of metformin on different subpopulations of pancreatic cancer cells and found that these selectively inhibited the proliferation of CD133⁺ but not CD24⁺CD44⁺ESA⁺ cells. We also examined the effect of low concentrations of metformin on cell invasion and in vivo tumor formation, demonstrating in vitro and in vivo anticancer action. Metformin was associated with a reduction of phospho-Erk and phospho-mTOR independent of Akt and AMPK phosphorylation. CD133⁺ pancreatic cancer cells are considered to be cancer stem cells that contribute to recurrence, metastasis and resistance to adjuvant therapies in pancreatic cancer. Our results provide a basis for combination of metformin with current therapies to improve the prognosis of this disease.

  17. Surgery for oligometastasis of pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lu, Fengchun; Poruk, Katherine E; Weiss, Matthew J

    2015-08-01

    The incidence of pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has steadily increased over the past several decades. The majority of PDAC patients will present with distant metastases, limiting surgical management in this population. Hepatectomy and pulmonary metastasectomy (PM) has been well established for colorectal cancer patients with isolated, resectable hepatic or pulmonary metastatic disease. Recent advancements in effective systemic therapy for PDAC have led to the selection of certain patients where metastectomy may be potentially indicated. However, the indication for resection of oligometastases in PDAC is not well defined. This review will discuss the current literature on the surgical management of metastatic disease for PDAC with a specific focus on surgical resection for isolated hepatic and pulmonary metastases.

  18. Increased arylhydrocarbon receptor expression offers a potential therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koliopanos, Alexander; Kleeff, Jörg; Xiao, Yi; Safe, Stephen; Zimmermann, Arthur; Büchler, Markus W; Friess, Helmut

    2002-09-05

    The arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR) was initially identified as a member of the adaptive metabolic and toxic response pathway to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and to halogenated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans. In the present study, we sought to determine the functional significance of the AhR pathway in pancreatic carcinogenesis. AhR expression was analysed by Northern blotting. The exact site of AhR expression was analysed by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. The effects of TCDD and four selective AhR agonists on pancreatic cancer cell lines were investigated by growth assays, apoptosis assays, and induction of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21. There was strong AhR mRNA expression in 14 out of 15 pancreatic cancer samples, weak expression in chronic pancreatitis tissues, and faint expression in all normal pancreata. In pancreatic cancer tissues, AhR mRNA and protein expression were localized in the cytoplasm of pancreatic cancer cells. TCDD and the four AhR agonists inhibited pancreatic cancer cell growth in a dose-dependent manner, and decreased anchorage-independent cell growth. DAPI staining did not reveal nuclear fragmentation and CYP1A1 and was not induced by TCDD and AhR agonists. In contrast, TCDD and AhR agonists induced the expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21. In conclusion, the relatively non-toxic AhR agonists caused growth inhibition in pancreatic cancer cells with high AhR expression levels via cell cycle arrest. In addition, almost all human pancreatic cancer tissues expressed this receptor at high levels, suggesting that these or related compounds may play a role in the therapy of pancreatic cancer in the future.

  19. The technical feasibility of an image-guided intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IG-IMRT) to perform a hypofractionated schedule in terms of toxicity and local control for patients with locally advanced or recurrent pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Son, Seok Hyun; Song, Jin Ho; Choi, Byung Ock; Kang, Young-nam; Lee, Myung Ah; Kang, Ki Mun; Jang, Hong Seok

    2012-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the technical feasibility of an image-guided intensity modulated radiotherapy (IG-IMRT) using involved-field technique to perform a hypofractionated schedule for patients with locally advanced or recurrent pancreatic cancer. From May 2009 to November 2011, 12 patients with locally advanced or locally recurrent pancreatic cancer received hypofractionated CCRT using TomoTherapy Hi-Art with concurrent and sequential chemotherapy at Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, the Catholic University of Korea. The total dose delivered was 45 Gy in 15 fractions or 50 Gy in 20 fractions. The target volume did not include the uninvolved regional lymph nodes. Treatment planning and delivery were performed using the IG-IMRT technique. The follow-up duration was a median of 31.1 months (range: 5.7-36.3 months). Grade 2 or worse acute toxicities developed in 7 patients (58%). Grade 3 or worse gastrointestinal and hematologic toxicity occurred in 0% and 17% of patients, respectively. In the response evaluation, the rates of partial response and stable disease were 58% and 42%, respectively. The rate of local failure was 8% and no regional failure was observed. Distant failure was the main cause of treatment failure. The progression-free survival and overall survival durations were 7.6 and 12.1 months, respectively. The involved-field technique and IG-IMRT delivered via a hypofractionated schedule are feasible for patients with locally advanced or recurrent pancreatic cancer

  20. Vaginal metastasis of pancreatic cancer | Benhayoune | Pan African ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Vaginal metastasis from pancreatic cancer is an extreme case and often indicates a poor prognosis. We present a case of pancreatic carcinoma with metastasis to the vagina that was discovered by vaginal bleeding. To our knowledge, this is the third case in the world of a primary pancreatic adenocarcinoma discovered of ...

  1. File list: Unc.Pan.50.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Unc.Pan.50.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells mm9 Unclassified Pancreas Pancreatic cancer... cells http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/Unc.Pan.50.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells.bed ...

  2. Complex role for the immune system in initiation and progression of pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Inman, Kristin S; Francis, Amanda A; Murray, Nicole R

    2014-08-28

    The immune system plays a complex role in the development and progression of pancreatic cancer. Inflammation can promote the formation of premalignant lesions and accelerate pancreatic cancer development. Conversely, pancreatic cancer is characterized by an immunosuppressive environment, which is thought to promote tumor progression and invasion. Here we review the current literature describing the role of the immune response in the progressive development of pancreatic cancer, with a focus on the mechanisms that drive recruitment and activation of immune cells at the tumor site, and our current understanding of the function of the immune cell types at the tumor. Recent clinical and preclinical data are reviewed, detailing the involvement of the immune response in pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, including the role of specific cytokines and implications for disease outcome. Acute pancreatitis is characterized by a predominantly innate immune response, while chronic pancreatitis elicits an immune response that involves both innate and adaptive immune cells, and often results in profound systemic immune-suppression. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is characterized by marked immune dysfunction driven by immunosuppressive cell types, tumor-promoting immune cells, and defective or absent inflammatory cells. Recent studies reveal that immune cells interact with cancer stem cells and tumor stromal cells, and these interactions have an impact on development and progression of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Finally, current PDAC therapies are reviewed and the potential for harnessing the actions of the immune response to assist in targeting pancreatic cancer using immunotherapy is discussed.

  3. Differential diagnosis of pancreas cancer and chronic pancreatitis in computed tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fujita, Nobuyuki; Saitou, Hiroya; Hiromura, Tadao; Takahashi, Hiromichi; Shinohara, Masahiro; Morita, Yutaka; Irie, Goro

    1987-01-01

    Differential diagnosis of pancreas cancer and chronic pancreatitis in Computed Tomography. CT pictures of 46 cases of pancreas cancer and 16 cases of chronic pancreatitis were reviewed to clarify a way of differential diagnosis of these two disorders. The conclusion obtained in this study is as below. 1) Well-defined cystic central low density is a sign of chronic pancreatitis, and in the other hand, the solid central low density is a sign of pancreas cancer. 2) Effect of contrast enhancement was greater in chronic pancreatitis than in pancreas cancer. 3) Possibility of pancreas cancer is high in a case which has a sign of vascular involvement but no definite sign of tumor. 4) Sensitivity, specificity, total accuracy is 76.7 %, 87.5 %, 75.8 % respectively. (author)

  4. Phase I trial of gefitinib with concurrent radiotherapy and fixed 2-h gemcitabine infusion, in locally advanced pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maurel, Joan; Martin-Richard, Marta; Conill, Carlos; Sanchez, Marcelo; Petriz, Lourdes; Gines, Angels; Miquel, Rosa; Gallego, Rosa; Cajal, Rosana; Ayuso, Carmen; Navarro, Salvador; Marmol, Maribel; Nadal, Cristina; Auge, Josep Maria; Fernandez-Cruz, Laureano; Gascon, Pere

    2006-01-01

    Purpose: Pancreatic cancers are resistant to radiotherapy (RT) and current chemotherapy agents. Epidermal growth factor receptor is overexpressed in pancreatic cancer, and in vitro studies have shown that epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors can overcome radio- and chemoresistance. The aim of the study was to determine whether the addition of gefitinib to RT and gemcitabine for patients with locally advanced pancreatic carcinoma (LAPC) was feasible and safe. Methods and Materials: Eighteen patients with pathologically proven LAPC, based on major vascular invasion based on helical computed tomography (CT) and endoscopic ultrasound, were entered into the study. The targeted irradiated volume included the tumor and 2-cm margin. Prophylactic irradiation of regional nodes was not allowed. Patients with >500 cm 3 of planning tumor volume were excluded. An initial cohort of 6 patients was treated with RT (45 Gy/25 fractions/5 weeks) plus concomitant gefitinib (250 mg/day). Successive cohorts of patients received 100, 150, and 200 mg/m 2 /day of gemcitabine in a 2-h infusion over Weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 with gefitinib (250 mg/day) and RT. Gefitinib was continued after RT until progression. A pharmacodynamic study of angiogenic markers was also performed to evaluate a possible antiangiogenic effect. Results: There were no dose-limiting toxicities. Common toxicities were mild neutropenia, asthenia, diarrhea, cutaneous rash and nausea/vomiting. The median (95% confidence interval [CI]) progression-free survival was 3.7 (95% CI = 1.9-5.5) months, and the median overall survival was 7.5 (95% CI 5.2-9.9) months. No significant reduction of vascular endothelial growth factor and interleukin-8 was observed after treatment. Conclusion: Our results support that the combination of gefitinib, RT, and gemcitabine has an acceptable toxicity but with modest activity in LAPC

  5. File list: His.Pan.20.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available His.Pan.20.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells mm9 Histone Pancreas Pancreatic cancer cel...ls http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/His.Pan.20.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells.bed ...

  6. File list: His.Pan.10.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available His.Pan.10.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells mm9 Histone Pancreas Pancreatic cancer cel...ls http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/His.Pan.10.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells.bed ...

  7. File list: Pol.Pan.50.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Pol.Pan.50.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells mm9 RNA polymerase Pancreas Pancreatic cancer... cells http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/Pol.Pan.50.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells.bed ...

  8. File list: His.Pan.50.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available His.Pan.50.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells mm9 Histone Pancreas Pancreatic cancer cel...ls http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/His.Pan.50.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells.bed ...

  9. Dosimetric impact of gastrointestinal air column in radiation treatment of pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Estabrook, Neil C; Corn, Jonathan B; Ewing, Marvene M; Cardenes, Higinia R; Das, Indra J

    2018-02-01

    Dosimetric evaluation of air column in gastrointestinal (GI) structures in intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) of pancreatic cancer. Nine sequential patients were retrospectively chosen for dosimetric analysis of air column in the GI apparatus in pancreatic cancer using cone beam CT (CBCT). The four-dimensional CT (4DCT) was used for target and organs at risk (OARs) and non-coplanar IMRT was used for treatment. Once a week, these patients underwent CBCT for air filling, isocentre verification and dose calculations retrospectively. Abdominal air column variation was as great as ±80% between weekly CBCT and 4DCT. Even with such a large air column in the treatment path for pancreatic cancer, changes in anteroposterior dimension were minimal (2.8%). Using IMRT, variations in air column did not correlate dosimetrically with large changes in target volume. An average dosimetric deviation of mere -3.3% and a maximum of -5.5% was observed. CBCT revealed large air column in GI structures; however, its impact is minimal for target coverage. Because of the inherent advantage of segmentation in IMRT, where only a small fraction of a given beam passes through the air column, this technique might have an advantage over 3DCRT in treating upper GI malignancies where the daily air column can have significant impact. Advances in knowledge: Radiation treatment of pancreatic cancer has significant challenges due to positioning, imaging of soft tissues and variability of air column in bowels. The dosimetric impact of variable air column is retrospectively studied using CBCT. Even though, the volume of air column changes by ± 80%, its dosimetric impact in IMRT is minimum.

  10. File list: DNS.Pan.20.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available DNS.Pan.20.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells mm9 DNase-seq Pancreas Pancreatic cancer c...ells http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/DNS.Pan.20.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells.bed ...

  11. Chinese herb derived-Rocaglamide A is a potent inhibitor of pancreatic cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Baochun; Li, Yixiong; Tan, Fengbo; Xiao, Zhanxiang

    2016-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer ranks No.1 in mortality rate worldwide. This study aims to identify the novel anti-pancreatic cancer drugs. Human pancreatic carcinoma cell lines were purchased from ATCC. CPE-based screening assay was used to examine the cell viability. Patient derived tumor xenografts in SCID mice was established. The Caspase-3 and 7 activities were measured using the Caspase Glo 3/7 Assay kit. Soft agar colony formation assay was used to evaluate the colony formation. Wound healing assay was employed to determine the cell migration. We screened a Chinese herbal product library and found three "hits" that kill cancer cells at nanomolar to micromolar concentrations. One of these compounds, rocaglamide, was found to be potent inhibitors of a wide spectrum of pancreatic cancer cell lines. Furthermore, Rocaglamide reduced the tumor size in a patient-derived pancreatic cancer xenograft mouse model without noticeable toxicity in vivo. Rocaglamide also inhibits pancreatic cancer cell migration and invasion. In conclusion, these data support that Rocaglamide may be a promising anti-pancreatic cancer drug.

  12. Endoscopic ultrasound in pancreatic cancer: innovative applications beyond the basics.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yoo, Joseph; Kistler, C Andrew; Yan, Linda; Dargan, Andrew; Siddiqui, Ali A

    2016-12-01

    Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has become a mainstay in assisting in the diagnosis and staging of pancreatic cancer. In addition, EUS provides a modality to treat chronic pain through celiac plexus neurolysis. Currently, there is growing data and utilization of EUS in more diverse and innovative applications aimed at providing more sophisticated diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic options for patients with pancreatic cancer. EUS delivery of chemotherapy, viral and biological vectors and fiducial markers may eventually revolutionize the way clinicians approach the care of a patient with pancreatic cancer.

  13. Targeting Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 Receptor Inhibits Pancreatic Cancer Growth and Metastasis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Subramani, Ramadevi; Lopez-Valdez, Rebecca; Arumugam, Arunkumar; Nandy, Sushmita; Boopalan, Thiyagarajan; Lakshmanaswamy, Rajkumar

    2014-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal cancers. Increasing incidence and mortality indicates that there is still much lacking in detection and management of the disease. This is partly due to a lack of specific symptoms during early stages of the disease. Several growth factor receptors have been associated with pancreatic cancer. Here, we have investigated if an RNA interference approach targeted to IGF-IR could be effective and efficient against pancreatic cancer growth and metastasis. For that, we evaluated the effects of IGF-1R inhibition using small interfering RNA (siRNAs) on tumor growth and metastasis in HPAC and PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cell lines. We found that silencing IGF-1R inhibits pancreatic cancer growth and metastasis by blocking key signaling pathways such AKT/PI3K, MAPK, JAK/STAT and EMT. Silencing IGF-1R resulted in an anti-proliferative effect in PANC-1 and HPAC pancreatic cancer cell lines. Matrigel invasion, transwell migration and wound healing assays also revealed a role for IGF-1R in metastatic properties of pancreatic cancer. These results were further confirmed using Western blotting analysis of key intermediates involved in proliferation, epithelial mesenchymal transition, migration, and invasion. In addition, soft agar assays showed that silencing IGF-1R also blocks the colony forming capabilities of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro. Western blots, as well as, flow cytometric analysis revealed the induction of apoptosis in IGF-1R silenced cells. Interestingly, silencing IGF-1R also suppressed the expression of insulin receptor β. All these effects together significantly control pancreatic cancer cell growth and metastasis. To conclude, our results demonstrate the significance of IGF-1R in pancreatic cancer. PMID:24809702

  14. Opium use, cigarette smoking, and alcohol consumption in relation to pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shakeri, Ramin; Kamangar, Farin; Mohamadnejad, Mehdi; Tabrizi, Reza; Zamani, Farhad; Mohamadkhani, Ashraf; Nikfam, Sepideh; Nikmanesh, Arash; Sotoudeh, Masoud; Sotoudehmanesh, Rasoul; Shahbazkhani, Bijan; Ostovaneh, Mohammad Reza; Islami, Farhad; Poustchi, Hossein; Boffetta, Paolo; Malekzadeh, Reza; Pourshams, Akram

    2016-07-01

    Although several studies have suggested opium as a risk factor for cancers of the esophagus, stomach, larynx, lung, and bladder, no previous study has examined the association of opium with pancreatic cancer. We aimed to study the association between opium use and risk of pancreatic cancer in Iran, using a case-control design. We also studied the association of cigarette smoking and alcohol consumption with pancreatic cancer, for which little information was available from this population. Cases and controls were selected from patients who were referred to 4 endoscopic ultrasound centers in Tehran, Iran. We recruited 316 histopathologically (all adenocarcinoma) and 41 clinically diagnosed incident cases of pancreatic cancer, as well as 328 controls from those with a normal pancreas in enodosonography from January 2011 to January 2015. We used logistic regression models to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). After adjustment for potential confounders, opium use (OR 1.91; 95% CI 1.06-3.43) and alcohol consumption (OR 4.16; 95% CI 1.86-9.31) were significantly associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer. We did not find an association between ever tobacco smoking and pancreatic cancer risk (OR 0.93; 95% CI 0.62-1.39). In our study, opium use and alcohol consumption were associated with an increased risk of pancreatic cancer, whereas cigarette smoking was not.

  15. Cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength in pancreatic cancer patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clauss, Dorothea; Tjaden, Christine; Hackert, Thilo; Schneider, Lutz; Ulrich, Cornelia M; Wiskemann, Joachim; Steindorf, Karen

    2017-09-01

    Cancer patients frequently experience reduced physical fitness due to the disease itself as well as treatment-related side effects. However, studies on physical fitness in pancreatic cancer patients are missing. Therefore, we assessed cardiorespiratory fitness and muscle strength of pancreatic cancer patients. We included 65 pancreatic cancer patients, mostly after surgical resection. Cardiorespiratory fitness was assessed using cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) and 6-min walk test (6MWT). Hand-held dynamometry was used to evaluate isometric muscle strength. Physical fitness values were compared to reference values of a healthy population. Associations between sociodemographic and clinical variables with patients' physical fitness were analyzed using multiple regression models. Cardiorespiratory fitness (VO 2 peak, 20.5 ± 6.9 ml/min/kg) was significantly lower (-24%) compared to healthy reference values. In the 6MWT pancreatic cancer patients nearly reached predicted values (555 vs. 562 m). Maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) of the upper (-4.3%) and lower extremities (-13.8%) were significantly lower compared to reference values. Overall differences were larger in men than those in women. Participating in regular exercise in the year before diagnosis was associated with greater VO 2 peak (p fitness with regard to both cardiorespiratory function and isometric muscle strength, already in the early treatment phase (median 95 days after surgical resection). Our findings underline the need to investigate exercise training in pancreatic cancer patients to counteract the loss of physical fitness.

  16. Circulating 25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Risk of Pancreatic Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stolzenberg-Solomon, Rachael Z.; Jacobs, Eric J.; Arslan, Alan A.; Qi, Dai; Patel, Alpa V.; Helzlsouer, Kathy J.; Weinstein, Stephanie J.; McCullough, Marjorie L.; Purdue, Mark P.; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Snyder, Kirk; Virtamo, Jarmo; Wilkins, Lynn R.; Yu, Kai; Zeleniuch-Jacquotte, Anne; Zheng, Wei; Albanes, Demetrius; Cai, Qiuyin; Harvey, Chinonye; Hayes, Richard; Clipp, Sandra; Horst, Ronald L.; Irish, Lonn; Koenig, Karen; Le Marchand, Loic; Kolonel, Laurence N.

    2010-01-01

    Results from epidemiologic studies examining pancreatic cancer risk and vitamin D intake or 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations (the best indicator of vitamin D derived from diet and sun) have been inconsistent. Therefore, the authors conducted a pooled nested case-control study of participants from 8 cohorts within the Cohort Consortium Vitamin D Pooling Project of Rarer Cancers (VDPP) (1974–2006) to evaluate whether prediagnostic circulating 25(OH)D concentrations were associated with the development of pancreatic cancer. In total, 952 incident pancreatic adenocarcinoma cases occurred among participants (median follow-up, 6.5 years). Controls (n = 1,333) were matched to each case by cohort, age, sex, race/ethnicity, date of blood draw, and follow-up time. Conditional logistic regression analysis was used to calculate smoking-, body mass index-, and diabetes-adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for pancreatic cancer. Clinically relevant 25(OH)D cutpoints were compared with a referent category of 50–<75 nmol/L. No significant associations were observed for participants with lower 25(OH)D status. However, a high 25(OH)D concentration (≥100 nmol/L) was associated with a statistically significant 2-fold increase in pancreatic cancer risk overall (odds ratio = 2.12, 95% confidence interval: 1.23, 3.64). Given this result, recommendations to increase vitamin D concentrations in healthy persons for the prevention of cancer should be carefully considered. PMID:20562185

  17. Usefulness of chemotherapy with gemcitabine for unresectable advanced pancreatic carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kawaguchi, Yoshiaki; Mine, Tetsuya

    2007-01-01

    We evaluated the usefulness of chemotherapy with gemcitabine for unresectable advanced pancreatic carcinoma. We examined 121 cases with unresectable advanced pancreatic carcinoma. They consisted of 65 locally advanced cases with no distant metastasis (Stage IVa) and 56 cases with distant metastasis (Stage IVb). Seventy-three cases were treated by chemotherapy with only gemcitabine (GEM) alone. Forty cases were not treated. Eight cases received chemoradiotherapy (CRT) combined with GEM. Their survival curves were compared. The survival curve of the GEM group was significantly longer than that of the no therapy group. In the locally advanced and distant metastasis groups, the survival curve of the GEM group was significantly longer than that of the no therapy group. And in the GEM group, the survival curve of the locally advanced group was significantly longer than that of the distant metastasis group. The survival curve of the CRT group was significantly longer than that of GEM group. Chemotherapy with gemcitabine for unresectable advanced pancreatic carcinoma was useful but the prognosis remained poor. (author)

  18. Nationwide prospective audit of pancreatic surgery: design, accuracy, and outcomes of the Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Audit.

    Science.gov (United States)

    van Rijssen, L Bengt; Koerkamp, Bas G; Zwart, Maurice J; Bonsing, Bert A; Bosscha, Koop; van Dam, Ronald M; van Eijck, Casper H; Gerhards, Michael F; van der Harst, Erwin; de Hingh, Ignace H; de Jong, Koert P; Kazemier, Geert; Klaase, Joost; van Laarhoven, Cornelis J; Molenaar, I Quintus; Patijn, Gijs A; Rupert, Coen G; van Santvoort, Hjalmar C; Scheepers, Joris J; van der Schelling, George P; Busch, Olivier R; Besselink, Marc G

    2017-10-01

    Auditing is an important tool to identify practice variation and 'best practices'. The Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Audit is mandatory in all 18 Dutch centers for pancreatic surgery. Performance indicators and case-mix factors were identified by a PubMed search for randomized controlled trials (RCT's) and large series in pancreatic surgery. In addition, data dictionaries of two national audits, three institutional databases, and the Dutch national cancer registry were evaluated. Morbidity, mortality, and length of stay were analyzed of all pancreatic resections registered during the first two audit years. Case ascertainment was cross-checked with the Dutch healthcare inspectorate and key-variables validated in all centers. Sixteen RCT's and three large series were found. Sixteen indicators and 20 case-mix factors were included in the audit. During 2014-2015, 1785 pancreatic resections were registered including 1345 pancreatoduodenectomies. Overall in-hospital mortality was 3.6%. Following pancreatoduodenectomy, mortality was 4.1%, Clavien-Dindo grade ≥ III morbidity was 29.9%, median (IQR) length of stay 12 (9-18) days, and readmission rate 16.0%. In total 97.2% of >40,000 variables validated were consistent with the medical charts. The Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Audit, with high quality data, reports good outcomes of pancreatic surgery on a national level. Copyright © 2017 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. Genome-wide association study of pancreatic cancer in Japanese population.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Siew-Kee Low

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer shows very poor prognosis and is the fifth leading cause of cancer death in Japan. Previous studies indicated some genetic factors contributing to the development and progression of pancreatic cancer; however, there are limited reports for common genetic variants to be associated with this disease, especially in the Asian population. We have conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS using 991 invasive pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma cases and 5,209 controls, and identified three loci showing significant association (P-value<5x10(-7 with susceptibility to pancreatic cancer. The SNPs that showed significant association carried estimated odds ratios of 1.29, 1.32, and 3.73 with 95% confidence intervals of 1.17-1.43, 1.19-1.47, and 2.24-6.21; P-value of 3.30x10(-7, 3.30x10(-7, and 4.41x10(-7; located on chromosomes 6p25.3, 12p11.21 and 7q36.2, respectively. These associated SNPs are located within linkage disequilibrium blocks containing genes that have been implicated some roles in the oncogenesis of pancreatic cancer.

  20. File list: ALL.Pan.05.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available ALL.Pan.05.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells mm9 All antigens Pancreas Pancreatic cancer... cells SRX174586,SRX174585,SRX174587 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/ALL.Pan.05.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells.bed ...

  1. File list: Oth.Pan.20.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Oth.Pan.20.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells mm9 TFs and others Pancreas Pancreatic cancer... cells SRX174585,SRX174586 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/Oth.Pan.20.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells.bed ...

  2. File list: Oth.Pan.05.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available Oth.Pan.05.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells mm9 TFs and others Pancreas Pancreatic cancer... cells SRX174586,SRX174585 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/Oth.Pan.05.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells.bed ...

  3. File list: ALL.Pan.50.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available ALL.Pan.50.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells mm9 All antigens Pancreas Pancreatic cancer... cells SRX174585,SRX174586,SRX174587 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/ALL.Pan.50.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells.bed ...

  4. Crosstalk between stromal cells and cancer cells in pancreatic cancer: New insights into stromal biology.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhan, Han-Xiang; Zhou, Bin; Cheng, Yu-Gang; Xu, Jian-Wei; Wang, Lei; Zhang, Guang-Yong; Hu, San-Yuan

    2017-04-28

    Pancreatic cancer (PC) remains one of the most lethal malignancies worldwide. Increasing evidence has confirmed the pivotal role of stromal components in the regulation of carcinogenesis, invasion, metastasis, and therapeutic resistance in PC. Interaction between neoplastic cells and stromal cells builds a specific microenvironment, which further modulates the malignant properties of cancer cells. Instead of being a "passive bystander", stroma may play a role as a "partner in crime" in PC. However, the role of stromal components in PC is complex and requires further investigation. In this article, we review recent advances regarding the regulatory roles and mechanisms of stroma biology, especially the cellular components such as pancreatic stellate cells, macrophages, neutrophils, adipocytes, epithelial cells, pericytes, mast cells, and lymphocytes, in PC. Crosstalk between stromal cells and cancer cells is thoroughly investigated. We also review the prognostic value and molecular therapeutic targets of stroma in PC. This review may help us further understand the molecular mechanisms of stromal biology and its role in PC development and therapeutic resistance. Moreover, targeting stroma components may provide new therapeutic strategies for this stubborn disease. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  5. Genome-wide meta-analysis identifies five new susceptibility loci for pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Klein, Alison P; Wolpin, Brian M; Risch, Harvey A; Stolzenberg-Solomon, Rachael Z; Mocci, Evelina; Zhang, Mingfeng; Canzian, Federico; Childs, Erica J; Hoskins, Jason W; Jermusyk, Ashley; Zhong, Jun; Chen, Fei; Albanes, Demetrius; Andreotti, Gabriella; Arslan, Alan A; Babic, Ana; Bamlet, William R; Beane-Freeman, Laura; Berndt, Sonja I; Blackford, Amanda; Borges, Michael; Borgida, Ayelet; Bracci, Paige M; Brais, Lauren; Brennan, Paul; Brenner, Hermann; Bueno-de-Mesquita, Bas; Buring, Julie; Campa, Daniele; Capurso, Gabriele; Cavestro, Giulia Martina; Chaffee, Kari G; Chung, Charles C; Cleary, Sean; Cotterchio, Michelle; Dijk, Frederike; Duell, Eric J; Foretova, Lenka; Fuchs, Charles; Funel, Niccola; Gallinger, Steven; M Gaziano, J Michael; Gazouli, Maria; Giles, Graham G; Giovannucci, Edward; Goggins, Michael; Goodman, Gary E; Goodman, Phyllis J; Hackert, Thilo; Haiman, Christopher; Hartge, Patricia; Hasan, Manal; Hegyi, Peter; Helzlsouer, Kathy J; Herman, Joseph; Holcatova, Ivana; Holly, Elizabeth A; Hoover, Robert; Hung, Rayjean J; Jacobs, Eric J; Jamroziak, Krzysztof; Janout, Vladimir; Kaaks, Rudolf; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Klein, Eric A; Kogevinas, Manolis; Kooperberg, Charles; Kulke, Matthew H; Kupcinskas, Juozas; Kurtz, Robert J; Laheru, Daniel; Landi, Stefano; Lawlor, Rita T; Lee, I-Min; LeMarchand, Loic; Lu, Lingeng; Malats, Núria; Mambrini, Andrea; Mannisto, Satu; Milne, Roger L; Mohelníková-Duchoňová, Beatrice; Neale, Rachel E; Neoptolemos, John P; Oberg, Ann L; Olson, Sara H; Orlow, Irene; Pasquali, Claudio; Patel, Alpa V; Peters, Ulrike; Pezzilli, Raffaele; Porta, Miquel; Real, Francisco X; Rothman, Nathaniel; Scelo, Ghislaine; Sesso, Howard D; Severi, Gianluca; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Silverman, Debra; Smith, Jill P; Soucek, Pavel; Sund, Malin; Talar-Wojnarowska, Renata; Tavano, Francesca; Thornquist, Mark D; Tobias, Geoffrey S; Van Den Eeden, Stephen K; Vashist, Yogesh; Visvanathan, Kala; Vodicka, Pavel; Wactawski-Wende, Jean; Wang, Zhaoming; Wentzensen, Nicolas; White, Emily; Yu, Herbert; Yu, Kai; Zeleniuch-Jacquotte, Anne; Zheng, Wei; Kraft, Peter; Li, Donghui; Chanock, Stephen; Obazee, Ofure; Petersen, Gloria M; Amundadottir, Laufey T

    2018-02-08

    In 2020, 146,063 deaths due to pancreatic cancer are estimated to occur in Europe and the United States combined. To identify common susceptibility alleles, we performed the largest pancreatic cancer GWAS to date, including 9040 patients and 12,496 controls of European ancestry from the Pancreatic Cancer Cohort Consortium (PanScan) and the Pancreatic Cancer Case-Control Consortium (PanC4). Here, we find significant evidence of a novel association at rs78417682 (7p12/TNS3, P = 4.35 × 10 -8 ). Replication of 10 promising signals in up to 2737 patients and 4752 controls from the PANcreatic Disease ReseArch (PANDoRA) consortium yields new genome-wide significant loci: rs13303010 at 1p36.33 (NOC2L, P = 8.36 × 10 -14 ), rs2941471 at 8q21.11 (HNF4G, P = 6.60 × 10 -10 ), rs4795218 at 17q12 (HNF1B, P = 1.32 × 10 -8 ), and rs1517037 at 18q21.32 (GRP, P = 3.28 × 10 -8 ). rs78417682 is not statistically significantly associated with pancreatic cancer in PANDoRA. Expression quantitative trait locus analysis in three independent pancreatic data sets provides molecular support of NOC2L as a pancreatic cancer susceptibility gene.

  6. Analysis of the clinical benefit of 5-fluorouracil and radiation treatment in locally advanced pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fisher, Barbara J.; Perera, Francisco E.; Kocha, Walter; Tomiak, Anna; Taylor, Marianne; Vincent, Mark; Bauman, Glenn S.

    1999-01-01

    Purpose: To assess the palliative benefit of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and radiotherapy in patients with surgically unresectable localized pancreatic cancer. Methods and Materials: Twenty-five patients with locally advanced surgically unresectable symptomatic pancreatic cancer received 5-FU chemotherapy and local radiation therapy. They were retrospectively reviewed in regard to their clinical benefit response (a composite of measurement of pain assessment, weight, and Karnofsky performance status [KPS]), as well as radiological response, time to progression, and overall survival. Results: Median survival for the 25 patients was 9 months and median progression-free survival was 6 months. Thirty-two percent of patients survived in excess of 1 year. Analgesic requirements increased >50% in 2 patients and KPS deteriorated in 10 patients. Of the 13 remaining patients, 2 sustained a >7% weight loss and 2 gained weight post-treatment. Six patients improved in one parameter of analgesic consumption, weight loss or KPS without deteriorating in any others. Thus, the clinical benefit response index for 5-FU-radiation was 6/25 (24%). In terms of tumor response, 8 patients (44%) demonstrated a reduction in tumor volume post-treatment, 4 of whom (22%) experienced a >50% reduction. Four additional patients had radiologically stable disease. Conclusion: In this retrospective analysis, the clinical benefit response index for 5-FU-radiation was 24%, a value similar to the 23.8% reported for single agent gemcitabine. The median survival of 7 months was also similar to the 5.65 months reported for gemcitabine. The radiological partial response rate of 22% and the 1-year survival of 32% were higher for 5-FU-radiation than the reported values for gemcitabine. A randomized trial would be necessary to compare 5-FU-radiation to gemcitabine directly; however, from this review it did not appear that the overall palliative benefit of 5-FU-radiation was inferior to gemcitabine

  7. Results of intraoperative radiotherapy for pancreatic cancers

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Okazaki, Atsushi; Shinozaki, Jun; Noda, Masanobu

    1991-01-01

    Reported are the results and observations of the authors who, from July 1986 through December 1989, have used electron beam intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) on 20 patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancers, said number including 3 patients given a resection. In 14 of the 17 unresected patients, a chief symptom was pain, and 8 patients were given a celiac plexus block at the same time. The results and observations are given below. Life-threatening complications occurred in two patients, i.e., an insufficient pancreatojejunostomy, and a perforative peritonitis. In 12 of 13 evaluable patients, pain control was achieved for a mean period of 5 months, indicating that an IORT with celiac plexus block may be useful for palliation. In the resected patients, the mean survival time was 6 months, whereas in the unresected patients, the mean survival time was 7 months. The common cause of death in the unresected patients was a metastatic dissemination. Finally, in 3 of the 5 unresected patients, marked effects such as massive fibrosis were seen in the pancreatic tumor on autopsy. (author)

  8. CHOLECYSTOKININ RECEPTOR ANTAGONIST HALTS PROGRESSION OF PANCREATIC CANCER PRECURSOR LESIONS AND FIBROSIS IN MICE

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Jill P.; Cooper, Timothy K.; McGovern, Christopher O.; Gilius, Evan L.; Zhong, Qing; Liao, Jiangang; Molinolo, Alfredo A.; Gutkind, J. Silvio; Matters, Gail L.

    2014-01-01

    Objectives Exogenous administration of cholecystokinin (CCK) induces hypertrophy and hyperplasia of the pancreas with an increase in DNA content. We hypothesized that endogenous CCK is involved with the malignant progression of pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) lesions and the fibrosis associated with pancreatic cancer. Methods The presence of CCK receptors in early PanIN lesions was examined by immunohistochemistry in mouse and human pancreas. Pdx1-Cre/LSL-KrasG12D transgenic mice were randomized to receive either untreated drinking water or water supplemented with a CCK-receptor antagonist (proglumide, 0.1mg/ml). Pancreas from mice were removed and examined histologically for number and grade of PanINs after 1, 2 or 4 months of antagonist therapy. Results Both CCK-A and CCK-B receptors were identified in early stage PanINs from mouse and human pancreas. The grade of PanIN lesions was reversed and progression to advanced lesions arrested in mice treated with proglumide compared to controls (p=0.004). Furthermore, pancreatic fibrosis was significantly reduced in antagonist-treated animals compared to vehicle (pitalic>0.001). Conclusions These findings demonstrate that endogenous CCK is in part responsible for the development and progression of pancreatic cancer. Use of CCK-receptor antagonists may have a role in cancer prophylaxis in high risk subjects, and may reduce fibrosis in the microenvironment. PMID:25058882

  9. Activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway mediates bone morphogenetic protein 2-induced invasion of pancreatic cancer cells Panc-1.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Xiong; Liao, Jie; Lu, YeBin; Duan, XiaoHui; Sun, WeiJia

    2011-06-01

    Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) signaling has an emerging role in pancreatic cancer. However, because of the multiple effects of different BMPs, no final conclusions have been made as to the role of BMPs in pancreatic cancer. In our studies, we have focused on bone morphogenetic protein 2(BMP-2) because it induces an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) and accelerates invasion in the human pancreatic cancer cell line Panc-1. It has been reported that the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway mediates invasion of gastric and colon cancer cells, which is unrevealed in pancreatic cancer cells. The objective of our study was to investigate whether BMP-2 mediated invasion might pass through the PI3K/Akt pathway. Our results show that expression of phosphorylation of Akt was increased by treatment with BMP-2, but not Noggin, a BMP-2 antagonist. Then pretreatment of Panc-1 cells with LY294002, an inhibitor of the PI3K/AKT pathway, significantly inhibited BMP-2-induced EMT and invasiveness. The data suggest that BMP-2 accelerates invasion of panc-1 cells via the PI3K/AKT pathway in panc-1 cells, which gives clues to searching new therapy targets in advanced pancreatic cancer.

  10. Embelin suppresses growth of human pancreatic cancer xenografts, and pancreatic cancer cells isolated from KrasG12D mice by inhibiting Akt and Sonic hedgehog pathways.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Minzhao Huang

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is a deadly disease, and therefore effective treatment and/or prevention strategies are urgently needed. The objectives of this study were to examine the molecular mechanisms by which embelin inhibited human pancreatic cancer cell growth in vitro, and xenografts in Balb C nude mice, and pancreatic cancer cell growth isolated from KrasG12D transgenic mice. XTT assays were performed to measure cell viability. AsPC-1 cells were injected subcutaneously into Balb c nude mice and treated with embelin. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were measured by Ki67 and TUNEL staining, respectively. The expression of Akt, and Sonic Hedgehog (Shh and their target gene products were measured by the immunohistochemistry, and Western blot analysis. The effects of embelin on pancreatic cancer cells isolated from 10-months old KrasG12D mice were also examined. Embelin inhibited cell viability in pancreatic cancer AsPC-1, PANC-1, MIA PaCa-2 and Hs 766T cell lines, and these inhibitory effects were blocked either by constitutively active Akt or Shh protein. Embelin-treated mice showed significant inhibition in tumor growth which was associated with reduced expression of markers of cell proliferation (Ki67, PCNA and Bcl-2 and cell cycle (cyclin D1, CDK2, and CDK6, and induction of apoptosis (activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of PARP, and increased expression of Bax. In addition, embelin inhibited the expression of markers of angiogenesis (COX-2, VEGF, VEGFR, and IL-8, and metastasis (MMP-2 and MMP-9 in tumor tissues. Antitumor activity of embelin was associated with inhibition of Akt and Shh pathways in xenografts, and pancreatic cancer cells isolated from KrasG12D mice. Furthermore, embelin also inhibited epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT by up-regulating E-cadherin and inhibiting the expression of Snail, Slug, and ZEB1. These data suggest that embelin can inhibit pancreatic cancer growth, angiogenesis and metastasis by suppressing Akt and

  11. Inhibition of pancreatic tumoral cells by snake venom disintegrins.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lucena, Sara; Castro, Roberto; Lundin, Courtney; Hofstetter, Amanda; Alaniz, Amber; Suntravat, Montamas; Sánchez, Elda Eliza

    2015-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer often has a poor prognosis, even when diagnosed early. Pancreatic cancer typically spreads rapidly and is rarely detected in its early stages, which is a major reason it is a leading cause of cancer death. Signs and symptoms may not appear until pancreatic cancer is quite advanced, and complete surgical removal is not possible. Furthermore, pancreatic cancer responds poorly to most chemotherapeutic agents. The importance of integrins in several cell types that affect tumor progression has made them an appealing target for cancer therapy. Some of the proteins found in the snake venom present a great potential as anti-tumor agents. In this study, we summarize the activity of two integrins antagonist, recombinant disintegrins mojastin 1 and viridistatin 2, on human pancreatic carcinoma cell line (BXPC-3). Both recombinant disintegrins inhibited some essential aspects of the metastasis process such as proliferation, adhesion, migration, and survival through apoptosis, making these proteins prominent candidates for the development of drugs for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  12. Knowledge discovery for pancreatic cancer using inductive logic programming.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiu, Yushan; Shimada, Kazuaki; Hiraoka, Nobuyoshi; Maeshiro, Kensei; Ching, Wai-Ki; Aoki-Kinoshita, Kiyoko F; Furuta, Koh

    2014-08-01

    Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease and predicting the status of the patients becomes an important and urgent issue. The authors explore the applicability of inductive logic programming (ILP) method in the disease and show that the accumulated clinical laboratory data can be used to predict disease characteristics, and this will contribute to the selection of therapeutic modalities of pancreatic cancer. The availability of a large amount of clinical laboratory data provides clues to aid in the knowledge discovery of diseases. In predicting the differentiation of tumour and the status of lymph node metastasis in pancreatic cancer, using the ILP model, three rules are developed that are consistent with descriptions in the literature. The rules that are identified are useful to detect the differentiation of tumour and the status of lymph node metastasis in pancreatic cancer and therefore contributed significantly to the decision of therapeutic strategies. In addition, the proposed method is compared with the other typical classification techniques and the results further confirm the superiority and merit of the proposed method.

  13. Nonlinear optical microscopy for histology of fresh normal and cancerous pancreatic tissues.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wenyan Hu

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer is a lethal disease with a 5-year survival rate of only 1-5%. The acceleration of intraoperative histological examination would be beneficial for better management of pancreatic cancer, suggesting an improved survival. Nonlinear optical methods based on two-photon excited fluorescence (TPEF and second harmonic generation (SHG of intrinsic optical biomarkers show the ability to visualize the morphology of fresh tissues associated with histology, which is promising for real-time intraoperative evaluation of pancreatic cancer. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In order to investigate whether the nonlinear optical imaging methods have the ability to characterize pancreatic histology at cellular resolution, we studied different types of pancreatic tissues by using label-free TPEF and SHG. Compared with other routine methods for the preparation of specimens, fresh tissues without processing were found to be most suitable for nonlinear optical imaging of pancreatic tissues. The detailed morphology of the normal rat pancreas was observed and related with the standard histological images. Comparatively speaking, the preliminary images of a small number of chemical-induced pancreatic cancer tissues showed visible neoplastic differences in the morphology of cells and extracellular matrix. The subcutaneous pancreatic tumor xenografts were further observed using the nonlinear optical microscopy, showing that most cells are leucocytes at 5 days after implantation, the tumor cells begin to proliferate at 10 days after implantation, and the extracellular collagen fibers become disordered as the xenografts grow. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: In this study, nonlinear optical imaging was used to characterize the morphological details of fresh pancreatic tissues for the first time. We demonstrate that it is possible to provide real-time histological evaluation of pancreatic cancer by the nonlinear optical methods, which present an

  14. Standardized uptake value on positron emission tomography/computed tomography predicts prognosis in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Si-Liang; Cao, Shuo; Sun, Yu-Nan; Wu, Rong; Chi, Feng; Tang, Mei-Yue; Jin, Xue-Ying; Chen, Xiao-Dong

    2015-10-01

    The aim of the present study was to investigate the use and value of maximum standardized uptake value (SUV max) on positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) images as a prognostic marker for patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC). The medical records of all consecutive patients who underwent PET/CT examination in our institution were retrospectively reviewed. Inclusion criteria were histologically or cytologically proven LAPC. Patients with distant metastasis were excluded. For statistical analysis, the SUV max of primary pancreatic cancer was measured. Survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and multivariable analysis was performed to determine the association of SUV max with overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) using a Cox proportional hazards model. Between July 2006 and June 2013, 69 patients were enrolled in the present study. OS and PFS were 14.9 months [95% confidence interval (CI) 13.1-16.7] and 8.3 months (95% CI 7.1-9.5), respectively. A high SUV max (>5.5) was observed in 35 patients, who had significantly worse OS and PFS than the remaining patients with a low SUV max (P = 0.025 and P = 0.003). Univariate analysis showed that SUV max and tumor size were prognostic factors for OS, with a hazard ratio of 1.90 and 1.81, respectively. A high SUV max was an independent prognostic factor, with a hazard ratio of 1.89 (95% CI 1.015-3.519, P = 0.045). The present study suggests that increased SUV max is a predictor of poor prognosis in patients with LAPC.

  15. Current options for palliative treatment in patients with pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ridwelski, K; Meyer, F

    2001-01-01

    Palliative treatment is often the only remaining option in the management of pancreatic carcinoma, but its efficacy is poor due to low tumor sensitivity and inadequate treatment protocols. There are several options of palliative treatment with antitumor or supportive intention. Classical end points of palliative treatment are survival, tumor response, and quality of life. A decade ago, palliative chemotherapy consisted mainly of 5-fluorouracil as the standard agent in combination with either other agents and/or radiotherapy. Only the new antineoplastic drug gemcitabine, which was introduced simultaneously with the definition of novel end points of chemotherapy such as clinical benefit, allowed to achieve some progress. However, while gemcitabine monotherapy appeared to be superior to 5-fluorouracil and improved important parameters of quality of life, it could not provide a significant improvement of survival. A novel concept, therefore, is to improve this beneficial cytostatic response in pancreatic carcinoma using a gemcitabine-based protocol by combining it with antineoplastic drugs such as taxanes or platin analogs. This strategy may have the potential to improve the outcome in palliative chemotherapy of pancreatic carcinoma patients with advanced tumor growth or metastases. Best supportive care in pancreatic cancer consists of the treatment of symptoms, such as pain, jaundice, duodenal obstruction, weight loss, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, and tumor-associated depression. Copyright 2001 S. Karger AG, Basel

  16. Radiation induces invasiveness of pancreatic cancer via up-regulation of heparanase

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lerner, I.; Bensoussan, E.; Meirovitz, A.; Elkin, M.; Vlodavsky, I.

    2013-01-01

    The full text of the publication follows. Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive neoplasms with an extremely low survival rate. Because most pancreatic carcinoma patients miss the opportunity for complete surgical resection at the time of diagnosis, radiotherapy remains a major component of treatment modalities. However, pancreatic cancer often shows resistance to radiation therapy. Ionizing radiation (IR)-induced aggressiveness is emerging as one of the important mechanisms responsible for the limited benefit of radiation therapy in pancreatic cancer, but the identity of downstream effectors responsible for this effect remains poorly investigated. Here we report that IR promotes pancreatic cancer aggressiveness through up-regulation of the heparanase. Heparanase is a predominant mammalian enzyme capable of degrading heparan sulfate (HS), the main polysaccharide component of the basement membrane and other types of extracellular matrix (ECM). Cleavage of HS by heparanase leads to disassembly of ECM, enables cell invasion, releases HS-bound angiogenic and growth factors from the ECM depots, and generates bioactive HS fragments. We found that clinically relevant doses of IR augment invasive ability of pancreatic cells in vitro and in vivo via induction of heparanase. Our results indicate that the effect of IR on heparanase expression is mediated by Egr1 transcription factor. Moreover, specific inhibitor of heparanase enzymatic activity abolished IR-induced invasiveness of pancreatic carcinoma cells in vitro, while combined treatment with IR and the heparanase inhibitor, but not IR alone, attenuated ortho-topic pancreatic tumor progression in vivo. The proposed up-regulation of heparanase by IR represents a new molecular pathway through which IR may promote pancreatic tumor aggressiveness, providing explanation for the limited benefit from radiation therapy in pancreatic cancer. Our research is expected to offer a new approach to improve the efficacy of

  17. Single-Fraction Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy and Sequential Gemcitabine for the Treatment of Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schellenberg, Devin; Kim, Jeff; Christman-Skieller, Claudia; Chun, Carlene L.; Columbo, Laurie Ann; Ford, James M.; Fisher, George A.; Kunz, Pamela L.; Van Dam, Jacques; Quon, Andrew; Desser, Terry S.; Norton, Jeffrey; Hsu, Annie; Maxim, Peter G.; Xing, Lei; Goodman, Karyn A.; Chang, Daniel T.; Koong, Albert C.

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: This Phase II trial evaluated the toxicity, local control, and overall survival in patients treated with sequential gemcitabine and linear accelerator-based single-fraction stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT). Methods and Materials: Twenty patients with locally advanced, nonmetastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma were enrolled on this prospective single-institution, institutional review board-approved study. Gemcitabine was administered on Days 1, 8, and 15, and SBRT on Day 29. Gemcitabine was restarted on Day 43 and continued for 3-5 cycles. SBRT of 25 Gy in a single fraction was delivered to the internal target volume with a 2- 3-mm margin using a nine-field intensity-modulated radiotherapy technique. Respiratory gating was used to account for breathing motion. Follow-up evaluations occurred at 4-6 weeks, 10-12 weeks, and every 3 months after SBRT. Results: All patients completed SBRT and a median of five cycles of chemotherapy. Follow-up for the 2 remaining alive patients was 25.1 and 36.4 months. No acute Grade 3 or greater nonhematologic toxicity was observed. Late Grade 3 or greater toxicities occurred in 1 patient (5%) and consisted of a duodenal perforation (G4). Three patients (15%) developed ulcers (G2) that were medically managed. Overall, median survival was 11.8 months, with 1-year survival of 50% and 2-year survival of 20%. Using serial computed tomography, the freedom from local progression was 94% at 1 year. Conclusion: Linear accelerator-delivered SBRT with sequential gemcitabine resulted in excellent local control of locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Future studies will address strategies for reducing long-term duodenal toxicity associated with SBRT.

  18. PTK6 promotes cancer migration and invasion in pancreatic cancer cells dependent on ERK signaling.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hiroaki Ono

    Full Text Available Protein Tyrosine Kinase 6 (PTK6 is a non-receptor type tyrosine kinase that may be involved in some cancers. However, the biological role and expression status of PTK6 in pancreatic cancer is unknown. Therefore in this study, we evaluated the functional role of PTK6 on pancreatic cancer invasion. Five pancreatic cancer cell lines expressed PTK6 at varying levels. PTK6 expression was also observed in human pancreatic adenocarcinomas. PTK6 suppression by siRNA significantly reduced both cellular migration and invasion (0.59/0.49 fold for BxPC3, 0.61/0.62 for Panc1, 0.42/0.39 for MIAPaCa2, respectively, p<0.05 for each. In contrast, forced overexpression of PTK6 by transfection of a PTK6 expression vector in Panc1 and MIAPaCa2 cells increased cellular migration and invasion (1.57/1.67 fold for Panc1, 1.44/1.57 for MIAPaCa2, respectively, p<0.05. Silencing PTK6 reduced ERK1/2 activation, but not AKT or STAT3 activation, while PTK6 overexpression increased ERK1/2 activation. U0126, a specific inhibitor of ERK1/2, completely abolished the effect of PTK6 overexpression on cellular migration and invasion. These results suggest that PTK6 regulates cellular migration and invasion in pancreatic cancer via ERK signaling. PTK6 may be a novel therapeutic target for pancreatic cancer.

  19. Everolimus for Advanced Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Tumors.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Yao, James C.; Shah, Manisha H.; Ito, Tetsuhide; Bohas, Catherine Lombard; Wolin, Edward M.; Van Cutsem, Eric; Hobday, Timothy J.; Okusaka, Takuji; Capdevila, Jaume; de Vries, Elisabeth G. E.; Tomassetti, Paola; Pavel, Marianne E.; Hoosen, Sakina; Haas, Tomas; Lincy, Jeremie; Lebwohl, David; Oberg, Kjell

    2011-01-01

    Background: Everolimus, an oral inhibitor of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), has shown antitumor activity in patients with advanced pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, in two phase 2 studies. We evaluated the agent in a prospective, randomized, phase 3 study. Methods: We randomly assigned 410

  20. Methylation of the SPARC gene promoter and its clinical implication in pancreatic cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lv Shunli

    2010-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC plays a pivotal role in regulating cell-matrix interactions and tumor angiogenesis, proliferation, and migration. Detection of SPARC gene methylation may be useful as a tumorigenesis marker for early detection of pancreatic cancer. Methods Methylation of the SPARC gene transcriptional regulation region (TRR was detected using bisulfite-specific (BSP PCR-based sequencing analysis in 40 cases of pancreatic cancer and the adjacent normal tissues, 6 chronic pancreatitis tissues, and 6 normal pancreatic tissues. BSP cloning-based sequencing analysis was also performed in selected cases. Clinicopathological data from the cancer patients were collected and analyzed. Results Analysis of SPARC gene TRR methylation showed two hypermethylation wave peak regions: CpG Region 1 (CpG site 1-7 and CpG Region 2 (CpG site 8-12. Pancreatic tissues have shown methylation in both regions with gradual increases from normal, chronic pancreatitis, and adjacent normal tissues to cancerous tissues. However, Methylation of CpG Region 2 was more sensitive than CpG Region 1 in pancreatic tumorigenesis. Furthermore, the methylation level of CpG Region 2 was associated with increased tumor size and exposure to the risk factors (tobacco smoke and alcohol consumption for developing pancreatic cancer. Conclusion Methylation of the SPARC gene, specifically CpG Region 2, may be an early event during pancreatic tumorigenesis and should be further evaluated as a tumorigenesis marker for early detection of pancreatic cancer.

  1. Gold nanoclusters-assisted delivery of NGF siRNA for effective treatment of pancreatic cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lei, Yifeng; Tang, Lixue; Xie, Yangzhouyun; Xianyu, Yunlei; Zhang, Lingmin; Wang, Peng; Hamada, Yoh; Jiang, Kai; Zheng, Wenfu; Jiang, Xingyu

    2017-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest human cancers, whose progression is highly dependent on the nervous microenvironment. The suppression of gene expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) may have great potential in pancreatic cancer treatment. Here we show that gold nanocluster-assisted delivery of siRNA of NGF (GNC–siRNA) allows efficient NGF gene silencing and pancreatic cancer treatment. The GNC–siRNA complex increases the stability of siRNA in serum, prolongs the circulation lifetime of siRNA in blood and enhances the cellular uptake and tumour accumulation of siRNA. The GNC–siRNA complex potently downregulates the NGF expression in Panc-1 cells and in pancreatic tumours, and effectively inhibits the tumour progression in three pancreatic tumour models (subcutaneous model, orthotopic model and patient-derived xenograft model) without adverse effects. Our study constitutes a straightforward but effective approach to inhibit pancreatic cancer via NGF knockdown, suggesting a promising therapeutic direction for pancreatic cancer. PMID:28440296

  2. Disseminated carcinomatosis of the bone marrow from pancreatic cancer: a case report

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Namikawa, Hiroki; Takemoto, Yasuhiko; Makuuchi, Ayako; Kobayashi, Masanori; Kinuhata, Shigeki; Morimura, Mina; Ikebe, Takashi; Tanaka, Hiromu; Shuto, Taichi

    2016-01-01

    Most cases of disseminated carcinomatosis of the bone marrow (DCBM) arise from gastric cancer. DCBM from pancreatic cancer is very rare. We herein present a case of DCBM from pancreatic cancer. A 57-year-old man was referred to our hospital for severe lumbago. Laboratory data indicated that he suffered from disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). Non-contrast abdominal computed tomography (CT) revealed multiple bone masses but no other abnormal findings. Left iliac bone marrow biopsy revealed poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma cells. Positron emission tomography (PET)-CT showed diffuse abnormal uptake in the bones and tail of the pancreas. Contrast whole-body CT showed a tumor measuring approximately 28 mm in diameter with poor enhancement in the tail of the pancreas. The patient’s final diagnosis was pancreatic cancer located in the tail of the pancreas with diffuse bone metastases and DIC. His DCBM was thus believed to originate from the pancreatic cancer. He succumbed to the disease approximately 2 months after admission to our hospital. We herein describe a case of pancreatic cancer located in the tail of the pancreas with diffuse bone metastases and DIC, which, in our case, was DCBM. Therefore, in cases of DCBM with an unknown primary tumor, pancreatic cancer should be considered during differential diagnosis

  3. The efficacy discussion of interventional therapy for advanced pancreatic carcinoma

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Song Tian; Yin Shimeng; Sun Rongyue; Shen Lan; Qian Yu

    2008-01-01

    Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of interventional therapy for advanced pancreatic carcinoma. Methods: 33 cases of advanced pancreatic carcinoma accepted interventional therapy from April 2005 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were unoperable and accepted one or more times of celiac and superior mesenteric arterial chemotheraputics perfusion with dosage of 2:1. The embolization was further introduced with the addition of liver invasion. The repetition interval was kept at 6 weeks with no severe complications. Results: The one with follow-up CT imagings showed obvious decrease of the lesion size, together with release or disappearance of the sensation of abdominal pain and abdominal distention. The life span prolonged with average survival of 13 months, including the longest of 22 months and the life quality improved. Conclusions: The interventional therapy could be the first method of choice in the management of advanced pancreatic carcinoma. (authors)

  4. Genome-wide meta-analysis identifies five new susceptibility loci for pancreatic cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Klein, Alison P.; Wolpin, Brian M.; Risch, Harvey A.; Stolzenberg-Solomon, Rachael Z.; Mocci, Evelina; Zhang, Mingfeng; Canzian, Federico; Childs, Erica J.; Hoskins, Jason W.; Jermusyk, Ashley; Zhong, Jun; Chen, Fei; Albanes, Demetrius; Andreotti, Gabriella; Arslan, Alan A.; Babic, Ana; Bamlet, William R.; Beane-Freeman, Laura; Berndt, Sonja I.; Blackford, Amanda; Borges, Michael; Borgida, Ayelet; Bracci, Paige M.; Brais, Lauren; Brennan, Paul; Brenner, Hermann; Bueno-de-Mesquita, Bas; Buring, Julie; Campa, Daniele; Capurso, Gabriele; Cavestro, Giulia Martina; Chaffee, Kari G.; Chung, Charles C.; Cleary, Sean; Cotterchio, Michelle; Dijk, Frederike; Duell, Eric J.; Foretova, Lenka; Fuchs, Charles; Funel, Niccola; Gallinger, Steven; M Gaziano, J. Michael; Gazouli, Maria; Giles, Graham G.; Giovannucci, Edward; Goggins, Michael; Goodman, Gary E.; Goodman, Phyllis J.; Hackert, Thilo; Haiman, Christopher; Hartge, Patricia; Hasan, Manal; Hegyi, Peter; Helzlsouer, Kathy J.; Herman, Joseph; Holcatova, Ivana; Holly, Elizabeth A.; Hoover, Robert; Hung, Rayjean J.; Jacobs, Eric J.; Jamroziak, Krzysztof; Janout, Vladimir; Kaaks, Rudolf; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Klein, Eric A.; Kogevinas, Manolis; Kooperberg, Charles; Kulke, Matthew H.; Kupcinskas, Juozas; Kurtz, Robert J.; Laheru, Daniel; Landi, Stefano; Lawlor, Rita T.; Lee, I.-Min; Lemarchand, Loic; Lu, Lingeng; Malats, Núria; Mambrini, Andrea; Mannisto, Satu; Milne, Roger L.; Mohelníková-Duchoňová, Beatrice; Neale, Rachel E.; Neoptolemos, John P.; Oberg, Ann L.; Olson, Sara H.; Orlow, Irene; Pasquali, Claudio; Patel, Alpa V.; Peters, Ulrike; Pezzilli, Raffaele; Porta, Miquel; Real, Francisco X.; Rothman, Nathaniel; Scelo, Ghislaine; Sesso, Howard D.; Severi, Gianluca; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Silverman, Debra; Smith, Jill P.; Soucek, Pavel; Sund, Malin; Talar-Wojnarowska, Renata; Tavano, Francesca; Thornquist, Mark D.; Tobias, Geoffrey S.; van den Eeden, Stephen K.; Vashist, Yogesh; Visvanathan, Kala; Vodicka, Pavel; Wactawski-Wende, Jean; Wang, Zhaoming; Wentzensen, Nicolas; White, Emily; Yu, Herbert; Yu, Kai; Zeleniuch-Jacquotte, Anne; Zheng, Wei; Kraft, Peter; Li, Donghui; Chanock, Stephen; Obazee, Ofure; Petersen, Gloria M.; Amundadottir, Laufey T.

    2018-01-01

    In 2020, 146,063 deaths due to pancreatic cancer are estimated to occur in Europe and the United States combined. To identify common susceptibility alleles, we performed the largest pancreatic cancer GWAS to date, including 9040 patients and 12,496 controls of European ancestry from the Pancreatic

  5. Genome-wide meta-analysis identifies five new susceptibility loci for pancreatic cancer.

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Klein, Alison P; Wolpin, Brian M; Risch, Harvey A; Stolzenberg-Solomon, Rachael Z; Mocci, Evelina; Zhang, Mingfeng; Canzian, Federico; Childs, Erica J; Hoskins, Jason W; Jermusyk, Ashley; Zhong, Jun; Sund, Malin; Talar-Wojnarowska, Renata; Tavano, Francesca; Thornquist, Mark D; Tobias, Geoffrey S; Van Den Eeden, Stephen K; Vashist, Yogesh; Visvanathan, Kala; Vodicka, Pavel; Wactawski-Wende, Jean; Chen, Fei; Wang, Zhaoming; Wentzensen, Nicolas; White, Emily; Yu, Herbert; Yu, Kai; Zeleniuch-Jacquotte, Anne; Zheng, Wei; Kraft, Peter; Li, Donghui; Chanock, Stephen; Albanes, Demetrius; Obazee, Ofure; Petersen, Gloria M; Amundadottir, Laufey T; Andreotti, Gabriella; Arslan, Alan A; Babic, Ana; Bamlet, William R; Beane-Freeman, Laura; Berndt, Sonja I; Blackford, Amanda; Borges, Michael; Borgida, Ayelet; Bracci, Paige M; Brais, Lauren; Brennan, Paul; Brenner, Hermann; Bueno-de-Mesquita, Bas; Buring, Julie; Campa, Daniele; Capurso, Gabriele; Cavestro, Giulia Martina; Chaffee, Kari G; Chung, Charles C; Cleary, Sean; Cotterchio, Michelle; Dijk, Frederike; Duell, Eric J; Foretova, Lenka; Fuchs, Charles; Funel, Niccola; Gallinger, Steven; M Gaziano, J Michael; Gazouli, Maria; Giles, Graham G; Giovannucci, Edward; Goggins, Michael; Goodman, Gary E; Goodman, Phyllis J; Hackert, Thilo; Haiman, Christopher; Hartge, Patricia; Hasan, Manal; Hegyi, Peter; Helzlsouer, Kathy J; Herman, Joseph; Holcatova, Ivana; Holly, Elizabeth A; Hoover, Robert; Hung, Rayjean J; Jacobs, Eric J; Jamroziak, Krzysztof; Janout, Vladimir; Kaaks, Rudolf; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Klein, Eric A; Kogevinas, Manolis; Kooperberg, Charles; Kulke, Matthew H; Kupcinskas, Juozas; Kurtz, Robert J; Laheru, Daniel; Landi, Stefano; Lawlor, Rita T; Lee, I-Min; LeMarchand, Loic; Lu, Lingeng; Malats, Núria; Mambrini, Andrea; Mannisto, Satu; Milne, Roger L; Mohelníková-Duchoňová, Beatrice; Neale, Rachel E; Neoptolemos, John P; Oberg, Ann L; Olson, Sara H; Orlow, Irene; Pasquali, Claudio; Patel, Alpa V; Peters, Ulrike; Pezzilli, Raffaele; Porta, Miquel; Real, Francisco X; Rothman, Nathaniel; Scelo, Ghislaine; Sesso, Howard D; Severi, Gianluca; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Silverman, Debra; Smith, Jill P; Soucek, Pavel

    2018-01-01

    In 2020, 146,063 deaths due to pancreatic cancer are estimated to occur in Europe and the United States combined. To identify common susceptibility alleles, we performed the largest pancreatic cancer GWAS to date, including 9040 patients and 12,496 controls of European ancestry from the Pancreatic

  6. File list: NoD.Pan.10.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available NoD.Pan.10.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells mm9 No description Pancreas Pancreatic cancer... cells http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/NoD.Pan.10.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells.bed ...

  7. File list: InP.Pan.05.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells [Chip-atlas[Archive

    Lifescience Database Archive (English)

    Full Text Available InP.Pan.05.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells mm9 Input control Pancreas Pancreatic cancer... cells SRX174587 http://dbarchive.biosciencedbc.jp/kyushu-u/mm9/assembled/InP.Pan.05.AllAg.Pancreatic_cancer_cells.bed ...

  8. CT findings of the mucin producing pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ri, Kyoushichi; Hashimoto, Toushi; Munechika, Hirotsugu

    1992-01-01

    Mucin-producing pancreatic cancers (MPPC), which include mucinous adenocarcinoma, papillary adenocarcinoma and cystadenocarcinoma, are radiographically characterized by diffuse or localized dilatation of the main pancreatic duct due to excessive mucin production. Therefore, MPPC are occasionally difficult to distinguish from chronic pancreatitis on CT unless the primary pancreatic lesion is visualized. We compared five cases of MPPC with five cases of chronic pancreatitis with marked duct dilatation to determine differences in CT images between the two diseases. There was no significant difference between the two diseases in the nature of duct dilatation (size, extent, contour) or parenchymal changes (atrophy, enlargement, calcification, cystic lesion). However, dilatation of the intramural duct was characteristically observed in MPPC but not in chronic pancreatitis. Papillary masses in the pancreatic duct, when observed, were another finding specific to MPPC. (author)

  9. The WSB1 gene is involved in pancreatic cancer progression.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Cendrine Archange

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Pancreatic cancer cells generate metastases because they can survive the stress imposed by the new environment of the host tissue. To mimic this process, pancreatic cancer cells which are not stressed in standard culture conditions are injected into nude mice. Because they develop xenografts, they should have developed adequate stress response. Characterizing that response might provide new strategies to interfere with pancreatic cancer metastasis. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: In the human pancreatic cancer cell lines Panc-1, Mia-PaCa2, Capan-1, Capan-2 and BxPC3, we used Affymetrix DNA microarrays to compare the expressions of 22.000 genes in vitro and in the corresponding xenografts. We identified 228 genes overexpressed in xenografts and characterized the implication of one of them, WSB1, in the control of apoptosis and cell proliferation. WSB1 generates 3 alternatively spliced transcripts encoding distinct protein isoforms. In xenografts and in human pancreatic tumors, global expression of WSB1 mRNA is modestly increased whereas isoform 3 is strongly overexpressed and isoforms 1 and 2 are down-regulated. Treating Mia-PaCa2 cells with stress-inducing agents induced similar changes. Whereas retrovirus-forced expression of WSB1 isoforms 1 and 2 promoted cell growth and sensitized the cells to gemcitabine- and doxorubicin-induced apoptosis, WSB1 isoform 3 expression reduced cell proliferation and enhanced resistance to apoptosis, showing that stress-induced modulation of WSB1 alternative splicing increases resistance to apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Data on WSB1 regulation support the hypothesis that activation of stress-response mechanisms helps cancer cells establishing metastases and suggest relevance to cancer development of other genes overexpressed in xenografts.

  10. Dietary mutagen exposure and risk of pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Donghui; Day, Rena Sue; Bondy, Melissa L; Sinha, Rashmi; Nguyen, Nga T; Evans, Douglas B; Abbruzzese, James L; Hassan, Manal M

    2007-04-01

    To investigate the association between dietary exposure to food mutagens and risk of pancreatic cancer, we conducted a hospital-based case-control study at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center during June 2002 to May 2006. A total of 626 cases and 530 noncancer controls were frequency matched for race, sex and age (+/-5 years). Dietary exposure information was collected via personal interview using a meat preparation questionnaire. A significantly greater portion of the cases than controls showed a preference to well-done pork, bacon, grilled chicken, and pan-fried chicken, but not to hamburger and steak. Cases had a higher daily intake of food mutagens and mutagenicity activity (revertants per gram of daily meat intake) than controls did. The daily intakes of 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f]quinoxaline (DiMeIQx) and benzo(a)pyrene (BaP), as well as the mutagenic activity, were significant predictors for pancreatic cancer (P = 0.008, 0.031, and 0.029, respectively) with adjustment of other confounders. A significant trend of elevated cancer risk with increasing DiMeIQx intake was observed in quintile analysis (P(trend) = 0.024). A higher intake of dietary mutagens (those in the two top quintiles) was associated with a 2-fold increased risk of pancreatic cancer among those without a family history of cancer but not among those with a family history of cancer. A possible synergistic effect of dietary mutagen exposure and smoking was observed among individuals with the highest level of exposure (top 10%) to PhIP and BaP, P(interaction) = 0.09 and 0.099, respectively. These data support the hypothesis that dietary mutagen exposure alone and in interaction with other factors contribute to the development of pancreatic cancer.

  11. Aberrant glycogen synthase kinase 3β in the development of pancreatic cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Takeo Shimasaki

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Development and progression of pancreatic cancer involves general metabolic disorder, local chronic inflammation, and multistep activation of distinct oncogenic molecular pathways. These pathologic processes result in a highly invasive and metastatic tumor phenotype that is a major obstacle to curative surgical intervention, infusional gemcitabine-based chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. Many clinical trials with chemical compounds and therapeutic antibodies targeting growth factors, angiogenic factors, and matrix metalloproteinases have failed to demonstrate definitive therapeutic benefits to refractory pancreatic cancer patients. Glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β, a serine/threonine protein kinase, has emerged as a therapeutic target in common chronic and progressive diseases, including cancer. Here we review accumulating evidence for a pathologic role of GSK3β in promoting tumor cell survival, proliferation, invasion, and resistance to chemotherapy and radiation in pancreatic cancer. We also discuss the putative involvement of GSK3β in mediating metabolic disorder, local inflammation, and molecular alteration leading to pancreatic cancer development. Taken together, we highlight potential therapeutic as well as preventive effects of GSK3β inhibition in pancreatic cancer.

  12. Systematic review of outcomes after distal pancreatectomy with coeliac axis resection for locally advanced pancreatic cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Klompmaker, S.; de Rooij, T.; Korteweg, J. J.; van Dieren, S.; van Lienden, K. P.; van Gulik, T. M.; Busch, O. R.; Besselink, M. G.

    2016-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer involving the coeliac axis is considered unresectable by most guidelines, with a median survival of 6-11 months. A subgroup of these patients can undergo distal pancreatectomy with coeliac axis resection, but consensus on the value of this procedure is lacking. The evidence for

  13. Early Detection of Sporadic Pancreatic Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chari, Suresh T.; Kelly, Kimberly; Hollingsworth, Michael A.; Thayer, Sarah P.; Ahlquist, David A.; Andersen, Dana K.; Batra, Surinder K.; Brentnall, Teresa A.; Canto, Marcia; Cleeter, Deborah F.; Firpo, Matthew A.; Gambhir, Sanjiv Sam; Go, Vay Liang W.; Hines, O. Joe; Kenner, Barbara J.; Klimstra, David S.; Lerch, Markus M.; Levy, Michael J.; Maitra, Anirban; Mulvihill, Sean J.; Petersen, Gloria M.; Rhim, Andrew D.; Simeone, Diane M.; Srivastava, Sudhir; Tanaka, Masao; Vinik, Aaron I.; Wong, David

    2015-01-01

    Abstract Pancreatic cancer (PC) is estimated to become the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States by 2020. Early detection is the key to improving survival in PC. Addressing this urgent need, the Kenner Family Research Fund conducted the inaugural Early Detection of Sporadic Pancreatic Cancer Summit Conference in 2014 in conjunction with the 45th Anniversary Meeting of the American Pancreatic Association and Japan Pancreas Society. This seminal convening of international representatives from science, practice, and clinical research was designed to facilitate challenging interdisciplinary conversations to generate innovative ideas leading to the creation of a defined collaborative strategic pathway for the future of the field. An in-depth summary of current efforts in the field, analysis of gaps in specific areas of expertise, and challenges that exist in early detection is presented within distinct areas of inquiry: Case for Early Detection: Definitions, Detection, Survival, and Challenges; Biomarkers for Early Detection; Imaging; and Collaborative Studies. In addition, an overview of efforts in familial PC is presented in an addendum to this article. It is clear from the summit deliberations that only strategically designed collaboration among investigators, institutions, and funders will lead to significant progress in early detection of sporadic PC. PMID:25931254

  14. Experimental study of the intra-operative radiation therapy for pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kodera, Taro; Matsuno, Seiki; Kobari, Masao; Akaishi, Satoshi; Sakamoto, Kiyohiko

    1988-01-01

    The radiosensitivity of pancreatic cancer, optimum dose of irradiation and the effect of 1-[4'-Hydroxy-2'-Butenoxy) Methyl]-2-Nitrosoimidaole (RK-28) on irradiation were investigated using an experimental pancreatic cancer of hamster and the following results were obtained: i) The mean lethal dose (Do) and the 50 % tumor control dose (TCD 50 ) against the pancreatic cancer were 3.5 Gy and 73.7 ± 6.9 Gy, respectively. These results indicate that the pancreatic cancer is resistant to irradiation, which could be explained by the existence of hypoxic cells consisting of 35 % of the tumor. ii) The dose of intraoperative irradiation (10 - 40 Gy) seemed to be insufficient to bring long-term anti-tumor effect and long-term survival since that dose resulted in only temporary regression of the tumor. iii) The hypoxic cell sensitizer (RK28), which is known to specifically enhance the sensitivity of hypoxic cells to irradiation, lowered TCD 50 of the pancreatic cancer to 53.8 ± 1.57 Gy. Therefore, RK-28 was effective in the treatment of the experimental pancreatic cancer (the enhancement ratio : 1.37). When combined with 30 or 40 Gy of irradiation, which is applicable to intraoperative irradiation, RK-28 induced a longer period of tumor suppression and a higher tumor regression ratio than irradiation alone. These results indicate that RK-28 significantly increases the effect of intraoperative irradiation and this combination therapy could possibly induce remarkable effect on tumor regression and long-term survival. (author)

  15. Coffee drinking and pancreatic cancer risk: a meta-analysis of cohort studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dong, Jie; Zou, Jian; Yu, Xiao-Feng

    2011-03-07

    To quantitatively assess the relationship between coffee consumption and incidence of pancreatic cancer in a meta-analysis of cohort studies. We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Science Citation Index Expanded and bibliographies of retrieved articles. Studies were included if they reported relative risks (RRs) and corresponding 95% CIs of pancreatic cancer with respect to frequency of coffee intake. We performed random-effects meta-analyses and meta-regressions of study-specific incremental estimates to determine the risk of pancreatic cancer associated with a 1 cup/d increment in coffee consumption. Fourteen studies met the inclusion criteria, which included 671,080 individuals (1496 cancer events) with an average follow-up of 14.9 years. Compared with individuals who did not drink or seldom drank coffee per day, the pooled RR of pancreatic cancer was 0.82 (95% CI: 0.69-0.95) for regular coffee drinkers, 0.86 (0.76-0.96) for low to moderate coffee drinkers, and 0.68 (0.51-0.84) for high drinkers. In subgroup analyses, we noted that, coffee drinking was associated with a reduced risk of pancreatic cancer in men, while this association was not seen in women. These associations were also similar in studies from North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. Findings from this meta-analysis suggest that there is an inverse relationship between coffee drinking and risk of pancreatic cancer.

  16. Intra-operative navigation of a 3-dimensional needle localization system for precision of irreversible electroporation needles in locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bond, L; Schulz, B; VanMeter, T; Martin, R C G

    2017-02-01

    Irreversible electroporation (IRE) uses multiple needles and a series of electrical pulses to create pores in cell membranes and cause cell apoptosis. One of the demands of IRE is the precise needle spacing required. Two-dimensional intraoperative ultrasound (2-D iUS) is currently used to measure inter-needle distances but requires significant expertise. This study evaluates the potential of three-dimensional (3-D) image guidance for placing IRE needles and calculating needle spacing. A prospective clinical evaluation of a 3-D needle localization system (Explorer™) was evaluated in consecutive patients from April 2012 through June 2013 for unresectable pancreatic adenocarcinoma. 3-D reconstructions of patients' anatomy were generated from preoperative CT images, which were aligned to the intraoperative space. Thirty consecutive patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer were treated with IRE. The needle localization system setup added an average of 6.5 min to each procedure. The 3-D needle localization system increased surgeon confidence and ultimately reduced needle placement time. IRE treatment efficacy is highly dependent on accurate needle spacing. The needle localization system evaluated in this study aims to mitigate these issues by providing the surgeon with additional visualization and data in 3-D. The Explorer™ system provides valuable guidance information and inter-needle distance calculations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd, BASO ~ The Association for Cancer Surgery, and the European Society of Surgical Oncology. All rights reserved.

  17. Evaluation of pancreatic cancers using thallium-201 single photon emission computed tomography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kume, Norihiko; Suga, Kazuyoshi; Nishigauchi, Kazuya; Uchisako, Hiromichi; Sugano, Ayame; Fujita, Takeshi; Nakanishi, Takashi; Hamasaki, Tatsunori; Suzuki, Takashi

    1995-01-01

    Radionuclide study has not been frequently applied to pancreatic cancers because of the absence of suitable radiopharmaceuticals for their positive depiction. We evaluated thallium-201 chloride ( 201 T1) SPECT for the investigation of pancreatic cancers. The subjects included 24 patients with pancreatic cancer, seven with benign disorders and 10 controls. Each patient fasted prior to the examination for more than 12 hr, and 201 T1 SPECT was obtained 10 min after the injection of 148-222 MBq of 201 T1. When the boundary of tumor uptake of 201 T1 was unclear because of the adjacent physiological liver activity, subtracted SPECT using 99m Tc-phytate was performed to clarify it. 201 T1 did not accumulate in the pancreas of the controls. In contrast, of the 24 pancreatic cancers, 21 demonstrated positive uptake, for a sensitivity rate of 87.5%, and the mean tumor/liver ratio was 0.76±0.16 (range, 0.58-1.28). Abnormal uptake was also noted in three of the seven benign disorders, but with a comparatively lower lesion/liver ratio (range, 0.35-0.51). 201 T1 activity per mg tissue in the resected specimens of two patients with pancreatic cancer revealed higher activity in the tumor than in normal parenchyma. 201 T1 uptake in the five conservatively treated pancreatic cancers showed alteration similar to the serum level of tumor markers. These results suggest that 201 T1 SPECT may have clinical potential for investigating pancreatic cancers as well as for the monitoring of treatment effect. (author)

  18. Human pancreatic cancer xenografts recapitulate key aspects of cancer cachexia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Delitto, Daniel; Judge, Sarah M; Delitto, Andrea E; Nosacka, Rachel L; Rocha, Fernanda G; DiVita, Bayli B; Gerber, Michael H; George, Thomas J; Behrns, Kevin E; Hughes, Steven J; Wallet, Shannon M; Judge, Andrew R; Trevino, Jose G

    2017-01-03

    Cancer cachexia represents a debilitating syndrome that diminishes quality of life and augments the toxicities of conventional treatments. Cancer cachexia is particularly debilitating in patients with pancreatic cancer (PC). Mechanisms responsible for cancer cachexia are under investigation and are largely derived from observations in syngeneic murine models of cancer which are limited in PC. We evaluate the effect of human PC cells on both muscle wasting and the systemic inflammatory milieu potentially contributing to PC-associated cachexia. Specifically, human PC xenografts were generated by implantation of pancreatic cancer cells, L3.6pl and PANC-1, either in the flank or orthotopically within the pancreas. Mice bearing orthotopic xenografts demonstrated significant muscle wasting and atrophy-associated gene expression changes compared to controls. Further, despite the absence of adaptive immunity, splenic tissue from orthotopically engrafted mice demonstrated elevations in several pro-inflammatory cytokines associated with cancer cachexia, including TNFα, IL1β, IL6 and KC (murine IL8 homologue), when compared to controls. Therefore, data presented here support further investigation into the complexity of cancer cachexia in PC to identify potential targets for this debilitating syndrome.

  19. Morphometrical differences between resectable and non-resectable pancreatic cancer: a fractal analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vasilescu, Catalin; Giza, Dana Elena; Petrisor, Petre; Dobrescu, Radu; Popescu, Irinel; Herlea, Vlad

    2012-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is a highly aggressive cancer with a rising incidence and poor prognosis despite active surgical treatment. Candidates for surgical resection should be carefully selected. In order to avoid unnecessary laparotomy it is useful to identify reliable factors that may predict resectability. Nuclear morphometry and fractal dimension of pancreatic nuclear features could provide important preoperative information in assessing pancreas resectability. Sixty-one patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer were enrolled in this retrospective study between 2003 and 2005. Patients were divided into two groups: one resectable cancer group and one with non-resectable pancreatic cancer. Morphometric parameters measured were: nuclear area, length of minor axis and length of major axis. Nuclear shape and chromatin distribution of the pancreatic tumor cells were both estimated using fractal dimension. Morphometric measurements have shown significant differences between the nuclear area of the resectable group and the non-resectable group (61.9 ± 19.8µm vs. 42.2 ± 15.6µm). Fractal dimension of the nuclear outlines and chromatin distribution was found to have a higher value in the non-resectable group (p<0.05). Objective measurements should be performed to improve risk assessment and therapeutic decisions in pancreatic cancer. Nuclear morphometry of the pancreatic nuclear features can provide important pre-operative information in resectability assessment. The fractal dimension of the nuclear shape and chromatin distribution may be considered a new promising adjunctive tool for conventional pathological analysis.

  20. Is screening for pancreatic cancer in high-risk groups cost-effective?

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Jørgensen, Maiken Thyregod; Gerdes, Anne-Marie; Sørensen, Jan

    2016-01-01

    OBJECTIVE: Pancreatic cancer (PC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer death worldwide, symptoms are few and diffuse, and when the diagnosis has been made only 10-15% would benefit from resection. Surgery is the only potentially curable treatment for pancreatic cancer, and the prognosis seems to......$ per QALY. CONCLUSIONS: With a threshold value of 50,000 US$ per QALY this screening program appears to constitute a cost-effective intervention although screening of HP patients appears to be less cost-effective than FPC patients....... with Hereditary pancreatitis or with a disposition of HP and 40 first-degree relatives of patients with Familial Pancreatic Cancer (FPC) were screened for development of Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) with yearly endoscopic ultrasound. The cost-effectiveness of screening in comparison with no......-screening was assessed by the incremental cost-utility ratio (ICER). RESULTS: By screening the FPC group we identified 2 patients with PDAC who were treated by total pancreatectomy. One patient is still alive, while the other died after 7 months due to cardiac surgery complications. Stratified analysis of patients...

  1. Advances of the surgical management for the pancreatic cancer according to generation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kimijima, Akira; Hatori, Takashi; Suzuki, Shuji; Ooshima, Nana; Yamamoto, Masakazu

    2012-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the surgical management for the pancreatic cancer from the point of view of the curability and function. A total of 570 patients who underwent pancreatectomy for invasive ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreatic head between 1981 and 2010 were reviewed by decade retrospectively. Patients were divided into three groups; first decade (1981-1990, n=172), middle decade (1991-2000, n=194) and last decade (2001-2010, n=204). Patients with severe invasion to the SMA nerve plexuses were included for surgical indication in the first decade, but were excluded for surgical indication in the middle and last decades. Circle dissection of the SMA nerve plexuses was performed in the first decade, but right-side dominant semicircle dissection was performed in the middle and last decades. Prophylactic dissection of the paraaortic lymph nodes (No.16) was performed in the first and middle decades, but not in the last decade. Stomach preserving procedure was performed in the middle and last decades, but not in the first decade. Intraoperative radiotherapy (IORT) was performed in the first decade and adjuvant chemotherapy was performed in the last decade, but no adjuvant therapy was performed in the middle decade. There was no difference in the prevalence of Stage I/II/III and IVa/IVb between the three groups. Rates of the stomach preserving procedure were 10% in the first decade, 70% in the middle decade and 88% in the last decade. Rates of R0 resection were 47%, 53% and 72%, respectively. Incidence rates of severe diarrhea were 23%, 8%, 5%, and the incidence rates of delayed gastric emptying (DGE) in the patients with stomach-preserving procedure were 29%, 10%, 3%, respectively. Median survival time (MST), 3-year survival rate, 5-year survival rate were 9.4 months, 7.0%, 6.4% in the first decade, 15.4 months, 20.0%, 17.2% in the middle decade and 26.3 months, 40.6%, 33.6% in the last decade. In conclusion, the appropriate surgical indication, R0

  2. Pancreatic Enzymes

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... Contact Us DONATE NOW GENERAL DONATION PURPLESTRIDE Pancreatic enzymes Home Facing Pancreatic Cancer Living with Pancreatic Cancer ... and see a registered dietitian. What are pancreatic enzymes? Pancreatic enzymes help break down fats, proteins and ...

  3. Hypoxic stellate cells of pancreatic cancer stroma regulate extracellular matrix fiber organization and cancer cell motility.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sada, Masafumi; Ohuchida, Kenoki; Horioka, Kohei; Okumura, Takashi; Moriyama, Taiki; Miyasaka, Yoshihiro; Ohtsuka, Takao; Mizumoto, Kazuhiro; Oda, Yoshinao; Nakamura, Masafumi

    2016-03-28

    Desmoplasia and hypoxia in pancreatic cancer mutually affect each other and create a tumor-supportive microenvironment. Here, we show that microenvironment remodeling by hypoxic pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) promotes cancer cell motility through alteration of extracellular matrix (ECM) fiber architecture. Three-dimensional (3-D) matrices derived from PSCs under hypoxia exhibited highly organized parallel-patterned matrix fibers compared with 3-D matrices derived from PSCs under normoxia, and promoted cancer cell motility by inducing directional migration of cancer cells due to the parallel fiber architecture. Microarray analysis revealed that procollagen-lysine, 2-oxoglutarate 5-dioxygenase 2 (PLOD2) in PSCs was the gene that potentially regulates ECM fiber architecture under hypoxia. Stromal PLOD2 expression in surgical specimens of pancreatic cancer was confirmed by immunohistochemistry. RNA interference-mediated knockdown of PLOD2 in PSCs blocked parallel fiber architecture of 3-D matrices, leading to decreased directional migration of cancer cells within the matrices. In conclusion, these findings indicate that hypoxia-induced PLOD2 expression in PSCs creates a permissive microenvironment for migration of cancer cells through architectural regulation of stromal ECM in pancreatic cancer. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Extra-pancreatic invasion induces lipolytic and fibrotic changes in the adipose microenvironment, with released fatty acids enhancing the invasiveness of pancreatic cancer cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Okumura, Takashi; Ohuchida, Kenoki; Sada, Masafumi; Abe, Toshiya; Endo, Sho; Koikawa, Kazuhiro; Iwamoto, Chika; Miura, Daisuke; Mizuuchi, Yusuke; Moriyama, Taiki; Nakata, Kohei; Miyasaka, Yoshihiro; Manabe, Tatsuya; Ohtsuka, Takao; Nagai, Eishi; Mizumoto, Kazuhiro; Oda, Yoshinao; Hashizume, Makoto; Nakamura, Masafumi

    2017-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer progression involves components of the tumor microenvironment, including stellate cells, immune cells, endothelial cells, and the extracellular matrix. Although peripancreatic fat is the main stromal component involved in extra-pancreatic invasion, its roles in local invasion and metastasis of pancreatic cancer remain unclear. This study investigated the role of adipose tissue in pancreatic cancer progression using genetically engineered mice (Pdx1-Cre; LSL-KrasG12D; Trp53R172H/+) and an in vitro model of organotypic fat invasion. Mice fed a high fat diet had significantly larger primary pancreatic tumors and a significantly higher rate of distant organ metastasis than mice fed a standard diet. In the organotypic fat invasion model, pancreatic cancer cell clusters were smaller and more elongated in shape and showed increased fibrosis. Adipose tissue-derived conditioned medium enhanced pancreatic cancer cell invasiveness and gemcitabine resistance, as well as inducing morphologic changes in cancer cells and increasing the numbers of lipid droplets in their cytoplasm. The concentrations of oleic, palmitoleic, and linoleic acids were higher in adipose tissue-derived conditioned medium than in normal medium, with these fatty acids significantly enhancing the migration of cancer cells. Mature adipocytes were smaller and the concentration of fatty acids in the medium higher when these cells were co-cultured with cancer cells. These findings indicate that lipolytic and fibrotic changes in peripancreatic adipose tissue enhance local invasiveness and metastasis via adipocyte-released fatty acids. Inhibition of fatty acid uptake by cancer cells may be a novel therapy targeting interactions between cancer and stromal cells. PMID:28407685

  5. Mediterranean diet and risk of pancreatic cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Molina-Montes, Esther; Sánchez, María José; Buckland, Genevieve; Bueno-de-Mesquita, H. Bas; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Amiano, Pilar; Wark, Petra A.; Kühn, Tilman; Katzke, Verena; Huerta, José María; Ardanaz, Eva; Quirós, José Ramón; Affret, Aurélie; His, Mathilde; Boutron-Ruault, Marie Christine; Peeters, Petra H.; Ye, Weimin; Sund, Malin; Boeing, Heiner; Iqbal, Khalid; Ohlsson, Bodil; Sonestedt, Emily; Tjønneland, Anne; Petersen, Kristina EN; Travis, Ruth C.; Skeie, Guri; Agnoli, Claudia; Panico, Salvatore; Palli, Domenico; Tumino, Rosario; Sacerdote, Carlotta; Freisling, Heinz; Huybrechts, Inge; Overvad, Kim; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Bamia, Christina; Vasilopoulou, Effie; Wareham, Nick; Khaw, Kay Tee; Cross, Amanda J.; Ward, Heather A.; Riboli, Elio; Duell, Eric J.

    2017-01-01

    Background:The Mediterranean diet (MD) has been proposed as a means for cancer prevention, but little evidence has been accrued regarding its potential to prevent pancreatic cancer. We investigated the association between the adherence to the MD and pancreatic cancer risk within the European

  6. Hypoxia Induced Tumor Metabolic Switch Contributes to Pancreatic Cancer Aggressiveness

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Vasseur, Sophie; Tomasini, Richard; Tournaire, Roselyne; Iovanna, Juan L. [INSERM U624, Stress Cellulaire, Parc Scientifique et Technologique de Luminy, 163 Avenue de Luminy, BP 915,13288 Marseille cedex 9 (France)

    2010-12-16

    Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma remains one of the most lethal of all solid tumors with an overall five-year survival rate of only 3–5%. Its aggressive biology and resistance to conventional and targeted therapeutic agents lead to a typical clinical presentation of incurable disease once diagnosed. The disease is characterized by the presence of a dense stroma of fibroblasts and inflammatory cells, termed desmoplasia, which limits the oxygen diffusion in the organ, creating a strong hypoxic environment within the tumor. In this review, we argue that hypoxia is responsible for the highly aggressive and metastatic characteristics of this tumor and drives pancreatic cancer cells to oncogenic and metabolic changes facilitating their proliferation. However, the molecular changes leading to metabolic adaptations of pancreatic cancer cells remain unclear. Cachexia is a hallmark of this disease and illustrates that this cancer is a real metabolic disease. Hence, this tumor must harbor metabolic pathways which are probably tied in a complex inter-organ dialog during the development of this cancer. Such a hypothesis would better explain how under fuel source limitation, pancreatic cancer cells are maintained, show a growth advantage, and develop metastasis.

  7. Hypoxia Induced Tumor Metabolic Switch Contributes to Pancreatic Cancer Aggressiveness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vasseur, Sophie; Tomasini, Richard; Tournaire, Roselyne; Iovanna, Juan L.

    2010-01-01

    Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma remains one of the most lethal of all solid tumors with an overall five-year survival rate of only 3–5%. Its aggressive biology and resistance to conventional and targeted therapeutic agents lead to a typical clinical presentation of incurable disease once diagnosed. The disease is characterized by the presence of a dense stroma of fibroblasts and inflammatory cells, termed desmoplasia, which limits the oxygen diffusion in the organ, creating a strong hypoxic environment within the tumor. In this review, we argue that hypoxia is responsible for the highly aggressive and metastatic characteristics of this tumor and drives pancreatic cancer cells to oncogenic and metabolic changes facilitating their proliferation. However, the molecular changes leading to metabolic adaptations of pancreatic cancer cells remain unclear. Cachexia is a hallmark of this disease and illustrates that this cancer is a real metabolic disease. Hence, this tumor must harbor metabolic pathways which are probably tied in a complex inter-organ dialog during the development of this cancer. Such a hypothesis would better explain how under fuel source limitation, pancreatic cancer cells are maintained, show a growth advantage, and develop metastasis

  8. Immunotherapy in pancreatic cancer: Unleash its potential through novel combinations.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Guo, Songchuan; Contratto, Merly; Miller, George; Leichman, Lawrence; Wu, Jennifer

    2017-06-10

    Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer mortality in both men and women in the United States, with poor response to current standard of care, short progression-free and overall survival. Immunotherapies that target cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4, programmed cell death protein-1, and programmed death-ligand 1 checkpoints have shown remarkable activities in several cancers such as melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, and non-small cell lung cancer due to high numbers of somatic mutations, combined with cytotoxic T-cell responses. However, single checkpoint blockade was ineffective in pancreatic cancer, highlighting the challenges including the poor antigenicity, a dense desmoplastic stroma, and a largely immunosuppressive microenvironment. In this review, we will summarize available clinical results and ongoing efforts of combining immune checkpoint therapies with other treatment modalities such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapy. These combination therapies hold promise in unleashing the potential of immunotherapy in pancreatic cancer to achieve better and more durable clinical responses by enhancing cytotoxic T-cell responses.

  9. Plasma cotinine levels and pancreatic cancer in the EPIC cohort study

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Leenders, M.; Chuang, S.C.; Dahm, C.C.; Overvad, K.; Ueland, P.M.; Midttun, O.; Vollset, S.E.; Tjonneland, A.; Halkjaer, J.; Jenab, M.; Clavel-Chapelon, F.; Boutron-Ruault, M.C.; Kaaks, R.; Canzian, F.; Boeing, H.; Weikert, C.; Trichopoulou, A.; Bamia, C.; Naska, A.; Palli, D.; Pala, V.; Mattiello, A.; Tumino, R.; Sacerdote, C.; Duijnhoven, F.J.B. van; Peeters, P.H.M.; Gils, C.H. van; Lund, E.; Rodriguez, L.; Duell, E.J.; Perez, M.J.; Molina-Montes, E.; Castano, J.M.; Barricarte, A.; Larrañaga, N.; Johansen, D.; Lindkvist, B.; Sund, M.; Ye, W.; Khaw, K.T.; Wareham, N.J.; Michaud, D.S.; Riboli, E.; Xun, W.W.; Allen, N.E.; Crowe, F.L.; Bueno-De-Mesquita, H.B.; Vineis, P.

    2012-01-01

    Smoking is an established risk factor for pancreatic cancer, previously investigated by the means of questionnaires. Using cotinine as a biomarker for tobacco exposure allows more accurate quantitative analyses to be performed. This study on pancreatic cancer, nested within the European Prospective

  10. [Effects of ezrin silencing on pancreatic cancer cell line Panc-1].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Meng, Yun-xiao; Yu, Shuang-ni; Lu, Zhao-hui; Chen, Jie

    2012-12-01

    To explore the effects of ezrin silencing on pancreatic cancer cell line Panc-1. Pancreatic cancer cell line Panc-1 was transfected with ezrin silencing plasmid. The proliferation and the cell cycle status were determined by CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry analysis, respectively. Cellular membrane protrusions/microvilli formation were visualized by scanning election microscopy. Colony formation assay was used to determine the cell anchor-independent growth ability in vitro. Trans-filter migration and invasion assays were performed with 8 µm pore inserts in a 24-well BioCoat chamber with/without Matrigel. Ezrin silencing decreased cellular protrusions/microvilli formation, anchorage-independent growth, cell migration and invasion, but had no effects on cell proliferation in vitro and cell cycle, in pancreatic cancer cell line Panc-1. Ezrin expression affects the cellular protrusions/microvilli formation, anchorage-independent growth, cell migration and invasion in pancreatic cancer cell line Panc-1.

  11. Targeting pancreatic cancer with magneto-fluorescent theranostic gold nanoshells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Wenxue; Ayala-Orozco, Ciceron; Biswal, Nrusingh C; Perez-Torres, Carlos; Bartels, Marc; Bardhan, Rizia; Stinnet, Gary; Liu, Xian-De; Ji, Baoan; Deorukhkar, Amit; Brown, Lisa V; Guha, Sushovan; Pautler, Robia G; Krishnan, Sunil; Halas, Naomi J; Joshi, Amit

    2014-01-01

    We report a magneto-fluorescent theranostic nanocomplex targeted to neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) for imaging and therapy of pancreatic cancer. Gold nanoshells resonant at 810 nm were encapsulated in silica epilayers doped with iron oxide and the near-infrared (NIR) dye indocyanine green, resulting in theranostic gold nanoshells (TGNS), which were subsequently conjugated with antibodies targeting NGAL in AsPC-1-derived xenografts in nude mice. Anti-NGAL-conjugated TGNS specifically targeted pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo providing contrast for both NIR fluorescence and T2-weighted MRI with higher tumor contrast than can be obtained using long-circulating, but nontargeted, PEGylated nanoparticles. The nanocomplexes also enabled highly specific cancer cell death via NIR photothermal therapy in vitro. TGNS with embedded NIR and magnetic resonance contrasts can be specifically targeted to pancreatic cancer cells with expression of early disease marker NGAL, and enable molecularly targeted imaging and photothermal therapy.

  12. Imaging pancreatic cancer using bioconjugated InP quantum dots.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yong, Ken-Tye; Ding, Hong; Roy, Indrajit; Law, Wing-Cheung; Bergey, Earl J; Maitra, Anirban; Prasad, Paras N

    2009-03-24

    In this paper, we report the successful use of non-cadmium-based quantum dots (QDs) as highly efficient and nontoxic optical probes for imaging live pancreatic cancer cells. Indium phosphide (core)-zinc sulfide (shell), or InP/ZnS, QDs with high quality and bright luminescence were prepared by a hot colloidal synthesis method in nonaqueous media. The surfaces of these QDs were then functionalized with mercaptosuccinic acid to make them highly dispersible in aqueous media. Further bioconjugation with pancreatic cancer specific monoclonal antibodies, such as anticlaudin 4 and antiprostate stem cell antigen (anti-PSCA), to the functionalized InP/ZnS QDs, allowed specific in vitro targeting of pancreatic cancer cell lines (both immortalized and low passage ones). The receptor-mediated delivery of the bioconjugates was further confirmed by the observation of poor in vitro targeting in nonpancreatic cancer based cell lines which are negative for the claudin-4-receptor. These observations suggest the immense potential of InP/ZnS QDs as non-cadmium-based safe and efficient optical imaging nanoprobes in diagnostic imaging, particularly for early detection of cancer.

  13. The Role of Apoptosis in the Pathology of Pancreatic Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Samm, Nicole; Werner, Kristin; Rückert, Felix; Saeger, Hans Detlev; Grützmann, Robert; Pilarsky, Christian

    2010-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is a disease with high resistance to most common therapies and therefore has a poor prognosis, which is partly due to a lack of reaction to apoptotic stimuli. Signal transduction of such stimuli includes a death receptor-mediated extrinsic pathway as well as an intrinsic pathway linked to the mitochondria. Defects in apoptotic pathways and the deregulation of apoptotic proteins, such as Survivin, Bcl-2, Bcl-x L and Mcl-1, play decisive roles in the development of pancreatic cancer. Investigation of the molecular mechanism allowing tumors to resist apoptotic cell death would lead to an improved understanding of the physiology and the development of new molecular strategies in pancreatic cancer

  14. The Role of Apoptosis in the Pathology of Pancreatic Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hans Detlev Saeger

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is a disease with high resistance to most common therapies and therefore has a poor prognosis, which is partly due to a lack of reaction to apoptotic stimuli. Signal transduction of such stimuli includes a death receptor-mediated extrinsic pathway as well as an intrinsic pathway linked to the mitochondria. Defects in apoptotic pathways and the deregulation of apoptotic proteins, such as Survivin, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and Mcl-1, play decisive roles in the development of pancreatic cancer. Investigation of the molecular mechanism allowing tumors to resist apoptotic cell death would lead to an improved understanding of the physiology and the development of new molecular strategies in pancreatic cancer.

  15. Ku70 inhibits gemcitabine-induced DNA damage and pancreatic cancer cell apoptosis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ma, Jiali; Hui, Pingping; Meng, Wenying; Wang, Na; Xiang, Shihao

    2017-01-01

    The current study focused on the role of Ku70, a DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) complex protein, in pancreatic cancer cell resistance to gemcitabine. In both established cell lines (Mia-PaCa-2 and PANC-1) and primary human pancreatic cancer cells, shRNA/siRNA-mediated knockdown of Ku70 significantly sensitized gemcitabine-induced cell death and proliferation inhibition. Meanwhile, gemcitabine-induced DNA damage and subsequent pancreatic cancer cell apoptosis were also potentiated with Ku70 knockdown. On the other hand, exogenous overexpression of Ku70 in Mia-PaCa-2 cells suppressed gemcitabine-induced DNA damage and subsequent cell apoptosis. In a severe combined immune deficient (SCID) mice Mia-PaCa-2 xenograft model, gemcitabine-induced anti-tumor activity was remarkably pontificated when combined with Ku70 shRNA knockdown in the xenografts. The results of this preclinical study imply that Ku70 might be a primary resistance factor of gemcitabine, and Ku70 silence could significantly chemo-sensitize gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer cells. - Highlights: • Ku70 knockdown sensitizes gemcitabine-induced killing of pancreatic cancer cells. • Ku70 knockdown facilitates gemcitabine-induced DNA damage and cell apoptosis. • Ku70 overexpression deceases gemcitabine's sensitivity in pancreatic cancer cells. • Ku70 knockdown sensitizes gemcitabine-induced anti-tumor activity in vivo.

  16. Hybrid kappa\\lambda antibody is a new serological marker to diagnose autoimmune pancreatitis and differentiate it from pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hao, Mingju; Li, Wenli; Yi, Lang; Yu, Songlin; Fan, Gaowei; Lu, Tian; Yang, Xin; Wang, Guojing; Zhang, Dong; Ding, Jiansheng; Zhang, Kuo; Zhang, Rui; Lin, Guigao; Han, Yanxi; Wang, Lunan; Li, Jinming

    2016-06-08

    The only generally accepted serological marker currently used for the diagnosis of autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is IgG4. Our aim was mainly to determine whether hybrid κ\\λ antibody can help to diagnose AIP and to differentiate it from pancreatic cancer. We established an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) system to measure the levels of hybrid κ\\λ antibodies in human sera. Sera were obtained from 338 patients, including 61 with AIP, 74 with pancreatic cancer, 50 with acute pancreatitis, 40 with ordinary chronic pancreatitis, 15 with miscellaneous pancreatic diseases, and 98 with normal pancreas. Our study showed levels of hybrid κ\\λ antibodies in the AIP group were significantly higher than in the non-AIP group (P < 0.001). The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) for the diagnosis of AIP were 80.3%, 91%, 66.2% and 95.5% respectively. Furthermore, the combined measurement of serum hybrid κ\\λ antibody and IgG4 tended to increase the sensitivity although the difference was not statistically significant (90.2% vs. 78.7%, P = 0.08), compared to measurement of IgG4 alone. Our findings suggest that hybrid κ\\λ antibody could be a new serological marker to diagnose AIP and differentiate it from pancreatic cancer.

  17. Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer: The Role of Industry in the Development of Biomarkers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kenner, Barbara J; Go, Vay Liang W; Chari, Suresh T; Goldberg, Ann E; Rothschild, Laura J

    A diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is devastating owing to its poor prognosis, with a 5-year survival rate of only 9%. Currently, most individuals are diagnosed at a late stage when treatment options are limited. Early detection of pancreatic cancer provides the greatest hope for making substantial improvements in survival. The Kenner Family Research Fund in partnership with the American Pancreatic Association has sponsored a series of fora to stimulate discussion and collaboration on early detection of pancreatic cancer. At the first forum in 2014, "Early Detection of Sporadic Pancreatic Cancer Summit Conference," a strategic plan was set forth by an international group of interdisciplinary scientific representatives and subsequently The Strategic Map for Innovation was generated. The current conference report is the third forum in the series, "Early Detection of Pancreatic Cancer: The Role of Industry in the Development of Biomarkers," which was held in Boston, Massachusetts, on October 27, 2016. This report provides an overview of examples of innovative initiatives by industry and confirms the critical need for collaboration among industry, government, research institutions, and advocacy groups in order to make pancreatic cancer more easily detectable in its earlier stages, when it is more treatable.

  18. Essential role of radiation therapy for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Novel study concepts and established treatment recommendations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Dobiasch, Sophie [Technical University of Munich (TUM), Department of Radiation Oncology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Munich (Germany); Goerig, Nicole L.; Fietkau, Rainer [Friedrich-Alexander-Universitaet Erlangen-Nuernberg, Department of Radiation Oncology, Universitaetsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen (Germany); Combs, Stephanie E. [Technical University of Munich (TUM), Department of Radiation Oncology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Munich (Germany); Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen, Institute of Innovative Radiotherapy (iRT), Department of Radiation Sciences (DRS), Neuherberg (Germany)

    2018-03-15

    Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive human tumors and the incidence has increased over the last 6 years. In the majority of cases the disease is already in an advanced stage at the time of diagnosis where surgery, the only curative treatment, is no longer an option and explains the still abysmal overall survival. The role of radiation therapy as treatment option for patients with pancreatic cancer is controversially discussed although radiation oncology has emerged as a central pillar in the combined oncological treatment. The present manuscript gives an overview of advanced radiotherapeutic strategies in the context of chemotherapy and surgery according to the current American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) guidelines in comparison with the German guidelines and to elucidate the role of radiation therapy for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Advanced modern radiotherapeutic techniques in combination with individualized high-precision radiation concepts are new therapeutic approaches for pancreatic cancer in a multimodal setting with tolerable side effects. Several clinical studies together with experimental approaches are in process, to deliver further evidence and ultimately allow true personalized medicine. (orig.) [German] Das Pankreaskarzinom gehoert zu den aggressivsten menschlichen Tumoren und verzeichnete in den letzten 6 Jahren eine steigende Inzidenz. Die Diagnose wird meist erst im fortgeschrittenen Stadium gestellt; dies schliesst haeufig eine primaer kurative Intervention mithilfe der chirurgischen Resektion aus und bedingt die hohe Mortalitaet. Obwohl die Strahlentherapie im multimodalen Therapieansatz des Pankreaskarzinoms eine zentrale Saeule darstellt, wird die Rolle der Strahlentherapie in der Literatur kontrovers diskutiert. Der vorliegende Beitrag bietet eine Uebersicht moderner Bestrahlungsstrategien im interdisziplinaeren Konzept gemaess der Leitlinien der American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) im Vergleich zu den

  19. A novel HDAC inhibitor, CG200745, inhibits pancreatic cancer cell growth and overcomes gemcitabine resistance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hee Seung; Park, Soo Been; Kim, Sun A; Kwon, Sool Ki; Cha, Hyunju; Lee, Do Young; Ro, Seonggu; Cho, Joong Myung; Song, Si Young

    2017-01-30

    Pancreatic cancer is predominantly lethal, and is primarily treated using gemcitabine, with increasing resistance. Therefore, novel agents that increase tumor sensitivity to gemcitabine are needed. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are emerging therapeutic agents, since HDAC plays an important role in cancer initiation and progression. We evaluated the antitumor effect of a novel HDAC inhibitor, CG200745, combined with gemcitabine/erlotinib on pancreatic cancer cells and gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic cancer cells. Three pancreatic cancer-cell lines were used to evaluate the antitumor effect of CG200745 combined with gemcitabine/erlotinib. CG200745 induced the expression of apoptotic proteins (PARP and caspase-3) and increased the levels of acetylated histone H3. CG200745 with gemcitabine/erlotinib showed significant growth inhibition and synergistic antitumor effects in vitro. In vivo, gemcitabine/erlotinib and CG200745 reduced tumor size up to 50%. CG200745 enhanced the sensitivity of gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine, and decreased the level of ATP-binding cassette-transporter genes, especially multidrug resistance protein 3 (MRP3) and MRP4. The novel HDAC inhibitor, CG200745, with gemcitabine/erlotinib had a synergistic anti-tumor effect on pancreatic cancer cells. CG200745 significantly improved pancreatic cancer sensitivity to gemcitabine, with a prominent antitumor effect on gemcitabine-resistant pancreatic cancer cells. Therefore, improved clinical outcome is expected in the future.

  20. Pancreatic Tail Cancer with Sole Manifestation of Left Flank Pain: A Very Rare Presentation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hsing-Lin Lin

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is sometimes called a “silent disease” because it often causes no symptoms in the early stage. The symptoms can be quite vague and various depending on the location of cancer in the pancreas. The anatomic site distribution is 78% in the head of the pancreas, 11% in the body, and 11% in the tail. Pancreatic cancer is rarely detected in the early stage, and it is very uncommon to diagnose pancreatic tail cancer during an emergency department visit. The manifestation of pancreatic tail cancer as left flank pain is very rare and has seldom been identified in the literature. We present a case of pancreatic tail cancer with the sole manifestation of dull left flank pain. Having negative findings on an ultrasound study initially, this female patient was misdiagnosed as having possible acute gastritis, urolithiasis or muscle strain after she received gastroendoscopy and colonofiberscopy. Her symptoms persisted for several months and she visited our emergency department due to an acute exacerbation of a persistent dull pain in the left flank area. Radiographic evaluation with computed tomography was performed, and pancreatic tail tumor with multiple metastases was found unexpectedly. We review the literature and discuss this rare presentation of pancreatic tail cancer.

  1. Thoracoscopic Splanchnicectomy for Pain Control in Irresectable Pancreatic Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alireza Tavassoli

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Introduction : Severepain is a major problem in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer. The goal of this study is to evaluate the effects of Thoracoscopic Splanchnicectomy (TS on pain control in these patients suffering from unresectable pancreatic cancer. Methods:Between years 2000 to 2011, 20 patients suffering from unresectable pancreatic cancer underwent TS due to severe pain. They were studied in terms of age, sex, location of pancreas tumor, history of previous surgery, response to treatments for pain control (assessed with VAS scoring system and complications of surgery. Results:M/F = 14/6 with a mean age of 63 years. The most common tumour site was at the pancreas head (in 8 patients. The most cause of unresectability was local expansion to critical adjacent elements (in 10 patients. Surgery was performed successfully in all patients. Post-operative complication included only pleural effusion on the left side which was cured by proper treatment. There were no post-op mortalities.  15 patients had acceptable levels of pain at the end of a six month follow-up period. ConclusionTS provides good pain control, little side effects and minimal invasiveness, the technique is recommended for pain control in patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer.

  2. Kallikrein-related peptidase 7 is a potential target for the treatment of pancreatic cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zheng, Jun; Zhang, Ding; Liu, Wei; Zheng, Wei Hong; Li, Xiao Song; Yao, Ru Cheng; Wang, Fangyu; Liu, Sen; Tan, Xiao

    2018-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers with very poor prognosis, and the five-year survival rate of the patients is less than 5% after diagnosis. Kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs) belong to a serine protease family with 15 members that play important roles in cellular physiological behavior and diseases. The high expression level of KLK7 in pancreatic cancer tissues is considered to be a marker for the poor prognosis of this disease. In this work, we set out to investigate whether KLK7 could be a target for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Short hairpin RNAs (shRNAs) were designed and constructed in lentivirus to knock down KLK7 in pancreatic cancer cell line PANC-1, and the real time cellular analysis (RTCA) was used to evaluate cell proliferation, migration and invasion abilities. Small molecules inhibiting KLK7 were discovered by computer-aided drug screening and used to inhibit PANC-1 cells. Our results confirmed that KLK7 is significantly up-regulated in pancreatic cancer tissue, and knocking down or inhibiting KLK7 efficiently inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. This study suggested that KLK7 could be a potential chemotherapy target for treatment of pancreatic cancer, which would provide us a novel strategy for the treatment of this disease. PMID:29560118

  3. Role of the immune system in pancreatic cancer progression and immune modulating treatment strategies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Sideras, K; Braat, H; Kwekkeboom, J; van Eijck, C H; Peppelenbosch, M P; Sleijfer, S; Bruno, M

    2014-05-01

    Traditional chemotherapeutics have largely failed to date to produce significant improvements in pancreatic cancer survival. One of the reasons for the resilience of pancreatic cancer towards intensive treatment is that the cancer is capable of high jacking the immune system: during disease progression the immune system is converted from a system that attacks tumor cells into a support structure for the cancer, exerting trophic actions on the cancer cells. This turn-around of immune system action is achieved through mobilization and activation of regulatory T cells, myeloid derived suppressor cells, tumor-associated macrophages and fibroblasts, all of which suppress CD8 T cells and NK cells. This immune suppression occurs both through the expression of tolerance-inducing cell surface molecules, such as PD-L1, as well as through the production of "tolerogenic" cytokines, such as IL-10 and TGF-β. Based on the accumulating insight into the importance of the immune system for the outcome of pancreatic cancer patients multiple new immunotherapeutic approaches against pancreatic cancer are being currently tested in clinical trials. In this review we give an overview of both the immune escaping mechanisms of pancreatic cancer as well as the new immune related therapeutic strategies currently being tested in pancreatic cancer clinical trials. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  4. Neoadjuvant Therapy in Patients with Pancreatic Cancer: A Disappointing Therapeutic Approach?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zimmermann, Carolin; Folprecht, Gunnar; Zips, Daniel; Pilarsky, Christian; Saeger, Hans Detlev; Grutzmann, Robert

    2011-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is a devastating disease. It is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death in Germany. The incidence in 2003/2004 was 16 cases per 100.000 inhabitants. Of all carcinomas, pancreatic cancer has the highest mortality rate, with one- and five-year survival rates of 25% and less than 5%, respectively, regardless of the stage at diagnosis. These low survival rates demonstrate the poor prognosis of this carcinoma. Previous therapeutic approaches including surgical resection combined with adjuvant therapy or palliative chemoradiation have not achieved satisfactory results with respect to overall survival. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate new therapeutic approaches. Neoadjuvant therapy is an interesting therapeutic option for patients with pancreatic cancer. For selected patients with borderline or unresectable disease, neoadjuvant therapy offers the potential for tumor downstaging, increasing the probability of a margin-negative resection and decreasing the occurrence of lymph node metastasis. Currently, there is no universally accepted approach for treating patients with pancreatic cancer in the neoadjuvant setting. In this review, the most common neoadjuvant strategies will be described, compared and discussed

  5. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma upregulated factor (PAUF) confers resistance to pancreatic cancer cells against oncolytic parvovirus H-1 infection through IFNA receptor-mediated signaling

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kaowinn, Sirichat; Cho, Il-Rae; Moon, Jeong; Jun, Seung Won; Kim, Chang Seok [BK21+, Department of Cogno-Mechatronics Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 609-736 (Korea, Republic of); Kang, Ho Young [Department of Microbiology, Pusan National University, Busan 609-736 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Manbok [Department of Medical Science, Dankook University College of Medicine, Cheonan 330-714 (Korea, Republic of); Koh, Sang Seok [Department of Biological Sciences, Dong-A University, Busan 604-714 (Korea, Republic of); Chung, Young-Hwa, E-mail: younghc@pusan.ac.kr [BK21+, Department of Cogno-Mechatronics Engineering, Pusan National University, Busan 609-736 (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-04-03

    Pancreatic adenocarcinoma upregulated factor (PAUF), a novel oncogene, plays a crucial role in the development of pancreatic cancer, including its metastasis and proliferation. Therefore, PAUF-expressing pancreatic cancer cells could be important targets for oncolytic virus-mediated treatment. Panc-1 cells expressing PAUF (Panc-PAUF) showed relative resistance to parvovirus H-1 infection compared with Panc-1 cells expressing an empty vector (Panc-Vec). Of interest, expression of type I IFN-α receptor (IFNAR) was higher in Panc-PAUF cells than in Panc-Vec cells. Increased expression of IFNAR in turn increased the activation of Stat1 and Tyk2 in Panc-PAUF cells compared with that in Panc-Vec cells. Suppression of Tyk2 and Stat1, which are important downstream molecules for IFN-α signaling, sensitized pancreatic cancer cells to parvovirus H-1-mediated apoptosis. Further, constitutive suppression of PAUF sensitized Bxpc3 pancreatic cancer cells to parvovirus H-1 infection. Taken together, these results suggested that PAUF conferred resistance to pancreatic cancer cells against oncolytic parvovirus H-1 infection through IFNAR-mediated signaling. - Highlights: • PAUF confers resistance against oncolytic parvovirus H-1 infection. • PAUF enhances the expression of IFNAR in Panc-1 cells. • Increased activation of Tyk2 or Stat1 by PAUF provides resistance to parvovirus H-1-mediated apoptosis. • Constitutive inhibition of PAUF enhances parvovirus H-1-mediated oncolysis of Bxpc3 pancreatic cancer cells.

  6. Pancreatic adenocarcinoma upregulated factor (PAUF) confers resistance to pancreatic cancer cells against oncolytic parvovirus H-1 infection through IFNA receptor-mediated signaling

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaowinn, Sirichat; Cho, Il-Rae; Moon, Jeong; Jun, Seung Won; Kim, Chang Seok; Kang, Ho Young; Kim, Manbok; Koh, Sang Seok; Chung, Young-Hwa

    2015-01-01

    Pancreatic adenocarcinoma upregulated factor (PAUF), a novel oncogene, plays a crucial role in the development of pancreatic cancer, including its metastasis and proliferation. Therefore, PAUF-expressing pancreatic cancer cells could be important targets for oncolytic virus-mediated treatment. Panc-1 cells expressing PAUF (Panc-PAUF) showed relative resistance to parvovirus H-1 infection compared with Panc-1 cells expressing an empty vector (Panc-Vec). Of interest, expression of type I IFN-α receptor (IFNAR) was higher in Panc-PAUF cells than in Panc-Vec cells. Increased expression of IFNAR in turn increased the activation of Stat1 and Tyk2 in Panc-PAUF cells compared with that in Panc-Vec cells. Suppression of Tyk2 and Stat1, which are important downstream molecules for IFN-α signaling, sensitized pancreatic cancer cells to parvovirus H-1-mediated apoptosis. Further, constitutive suppression of PAUF sensitized Bxpc3 pancreatic cancer cells to parvovirus H-1 infection. Taken together, these results suggested that PAUF conferred resistance to pancreatic cancer cells against oncolytic parvovirus H-1 infection through IFNAR-mediated signaling. - Highlights: • PAUF confers resistance against oncolytic parvovirus H-1 infection. • PAUF enhances the expression of IFNAR in Panc-1 cells. • Increased activation of Tyk2 or Stat1 by PAUF provides resistance to parvovirus H-1-mediated apoptosis. • Constitutive inhibition of PAUF enhances parvovirus H-1-mediated oncolysis of Bxpc3 pancreatic cancer cells

  7. Circulating monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1) is associated with cachexia in treatment‐naïve pancreatic cancer patients

    Science.gov (United States)

    Talbert, Erin E.; Lewis, Heather L.; Farren, Matthew R.; Ramsey, Mitchell L.; Chakedis, Jeffery M.; Rajasekera, Priyani; Haverick, Ericka; Sarna, Angela; Bloomston, Mark; Pawlik, Timothy M.; Zimmers, Teresa A.; Lesinski, Gregory B.; Hart, Phil A.; Dillhoff, Mary E.; Schmidt, Carl R.

    2018-01-01

    Abstract Background Cancer‐associated wasting, termed cancer cachexia, has a profound effect on the morbidity and mortality of cancer patients but remains difficult to recognize and diagnose. While increases in circulating levels of a number of inflammatory cytokines have been associated with cancer cachexia, these associations were generally made in patients with advanced disease and thus may be associated with disease progression rather than directly with the cachexia syndrome. Thus, we sought to assess potential biomarkers of cancer‐induced cachexia in patients with earlier stages of disease. Methods A custom multiplex array was used to measure circulating levels of 25 soluble factors from 70 pancreatic cancer patients undergoing attempted tumour resections. A high‐sensitivity multiplex was used for increased sensitivity for nine cytokines. Results Resectable pancreatic cancer patients with cachexia had low levels of canonical pro‐inflammatory cytokines including interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ), and tumour necrosis factor (TNF). Even in our more sensitive analysis, these cytokines were not associated with cancer cachexia. Of the 25 circulating factors tested, only monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1) was increased in treatment‐naïve cachectic patients compared with weight stable patients and identified as a potential biomarker for cancer cachexia. Although circulating levels of leptin and granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (GM‐CSF) were found to be decreased in the same cohort of treatment‐naïve cachectic patients, these factors were closely associated with body mass index, limiting their utility as cancer cachexia biomarkers. Conclusions Unlike in advanced disease, it is possible that cachexia in patients with resectable pancreatic cancer is not associated with high levels of classical markers of systemic inflammation. However, cachectic, treatment‐naïve patients

  8. Radiosensitization effect of CMNa on hypoxic pancreatic cancer cell in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yin Lijie; Zhang Li; Ding Tiangui; Peng Zhaoxiang; Yu Huan; Gao Yuwei

    2006-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the effects of glycodidazolum natrium (CMNa) on pancreatic cancer cells under hypoxic condition. Methods: The human pancreatic cancer Panc-1 cells were exposed to a single fraction of high-dose γ-ray radiation either with CMNa or under hypoxic condition. The percentage of dead cells was detected with a multiwell plated reader, and fluorescence intensities of propidium iodide were measured before and after digitonin treatment. The sensitizing effect of CMNa on cell killing induced by high-dose irradiation was evaluated by time and concentration dependence. The selective radiosensitive effect of CMNa on hypoxia was evaluated by flow cytometry. Results: The death rate of pancreatic cancer Panc-1 cells paralleled with the increasing concentration of CMNa under hypoxic condition after 30 gray irradiation. The selective radiosensitive effect of CMNa on hypoxia was time-dependent. Conclusions: CMNa can enhance the radiosensitivity of pancreatic cancer Pane-1 cells under hypoxic condition with high-dose irradiation. (authors)

  9. A bioengineered murine model using CD24+CD44+ pancreatic cancer stem cells for chemotherapy study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qin, Shengqi; Li, Jianshe; Zhang, Zhongtao; Deng, Yiming

    2015-01-01

    In this work we first developed a murine pancreatic tumor model using CD24 + CD44 + pancreatic cancer stem cells (CSC) supported by an electrospun scaffold. Unlike conventional models, the use of CSC and the scaffold, which were biologically and chemically defined, afforded scientists a reliable platform to evaluate novel chemotherapy regimens. CD24 + CD44 + CSC successfully initiated tumorigenesis in vitro on the scaffold without suffering apoptosis, evidencing the lack of cytotoxicity of scaffolding materials. Also, the scaffold contributed to the acceleration of in vivo tumorigenesis and increased the likelihood of tumor formation. Using this model, we set out to explore the effectiveness of irinotecan/gemcitabine (IRIN-GEM), a chemotherapy regimen, for pancreatic cancer. Our study showed that IRIN-GEM induced a tumor regression whereas gemcitabine alone could only arrest the tumor growth. Further study suggested that the superior performance of IRIN-GEM could be attributed to its capacity to demolish the CD24 + CD44 + CSC sub-population by inducing a large-scale apoptosis. The use of highly proliferative yet homogenous CD24 + CD44 + CSC along with a chemically defined scaffold accelerated the tumor formation and significantly reduced the variability associated with conventional murine models. Armed with this new model, we discovered that IRIN-GEM would be a promising chemotherapy candidate for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer. (paper)

  10. Sweet-beverage consumption and risk of pancreatic cancer in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC).

    Science.gov (United States)

    Navarrete-Muñoz, Eva M; Wark, Petra A; Romaguera, Dora; Bhoo-Pathy, Nirmala; Michaud, Dominique; Molina-Montes, Esther; Tjønneland, Anne; Olsen, Anja; Overvad, Kim; Boutron-Ruault, Marie-Christine; Clavel-Chapelon, Françoise; Fagherazzi, Guy; Katzke, Verena A; Kühn, Tilman; Steffen, Annika; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Klinaki, Eleni; Papatesta, Eleni-Maria; Masala, Giovanna; Krogh, Vittorio; Tumino, Rosario; Naccarati, Alessio; Mattiello, Amalia; Peeters, Petra H; Rylander, Charlotta; Parr, Christine L; Skeie, Guri; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Quirós, J Ramón; Duell, Eric J; Dorronsoro, Miren; Huerta, José María; Ardanaz, Eva; Wareham, Nick; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Travis, Ruth C; Key, Tim; Stepien, Magdalena; Freisling, Heinz; Riboli, Elio; Bueno-de-Mesquita, H Bas

    2016-09-01

    The consumption of sweet beverages has been associated with greater risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity, which may be involved in the development of pancreatic cancer. Therefore, it has been hypothesized that sweet beverages may increase pancreatic cancer risk as well. We examined the association between sweet-beverage consumption (including total, sugar-sweetened, and artificially sweetened soft drink and juice and nectar consumption) and pancreatic cancer risk. The study was conducted within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort. A total of 477,199 participants (70.2% women) with a mean age of 51 y at baseline were included, and 865 exocrine pancreatic cancers were diagnosed after a median follow-up of 11.60 y (IQR: 10.10-12.60 y). Sweet-beverage consumption was assessed with the use of validated dietary questionnaires at baseline. HRs and 95% CIs were obtained with the use of multivariable Cox regression models that were stratified by age, sex, and center and adjusted for educational level, physical activity, smoking status, and alcohol consumption. Associations with total soft-drink consumption were adjusted for juice and nectar consumption and vice versa. Total soft-drink consumption (HR per 100 g/d: 1.03; 95% CI: 0.99, 1.07), sugar-sweetened soft-drink consumption (HR per 100 g/d: 1.02; 95% CI: 0.97, 1.08), and artificially sweetened soft-drink consumption (HR per 100 g/d: 1.04; 95% CI: 0.98, 1.10) were not associated with pancreatic cancer risk. Juice and nectar consumption was inversely associated with pancreatic cancer risk (HR per 100 g/d: 0.91; 95% CI: 0.84, 0.99); this association remained statistically significant after adjustment for body size, type 2 diabetes, and energy intake. Soft-drink consumption does not seem to be associated with pancreatic cancer risk. Juice and nectar consumption might be associated with a modest decreased pancreatic cancer risk. Additional studies with specific information on juice and

  11. Plasma carotenoids, vitamin C, retinol and tocopherols levels and pancreatic cancer risk within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition: a nested case-control study: plasma micronutrients and pancreatic cancer risk.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jeurnink, Suzanne M; Ros, Martine M; Leenders, Max; van Duijnhoven, Franzel J B; Siersema, Peter D; Jansen, Eugene H J M; van Gils, Carla H; Bakker, Marije F; Overvad, Kim; Roswall, Nina; Tjønneland, Anne; Boutron-Ruault, Marie-Christine; Racine, Antoine; Cadeau, Claire; Grote, Verena; Kaaks, Rudolf; Aleksandrova, Krasimira; Boeing, Heiner; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Benetou, Vasiliki; Valanou, Elisavet; Palli, Domenico; Krogh, Vittorio; Vineis, Paolo; Tumino, Rosario; Mattiello, Amalia; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Skeie, Guri; Castaño, José María Huerta; Duell, Eric J; Barricarte, Aurelio; Molina-Montes, Esther; Argüelles, Marcial; Dorronsoro, Mire; Johansen, Dorthe; Lindkvist, Björn; Sund, Malin; Crowe, Francesca L; Khaw, Kay-Tee; Jenab, Mazda; Fedirko, Veronika; Riboli, E; Bueno-de-Mesquita, H B

    2015-03-15

    Evidence of a protective effect of several antioxidants and other nutrients on pancreatic cancer risk is inconsistent. The aim of this study was to investigate the association for prediagnostic plasma levels of carotenoids, vitamin C, retinol and tocopherols with risk of pancreatic cancer in a case-control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). 446 incident exocrine pancreatic cancer cases were matched to 446 controls by age at blood collection, study center, sex, date and time of blood collection, fasting status and hormone use. Plasma carotenoids (α- and β-carotene, lycopene, β-cryptoxanthin, canthaxanthin, zeaxanthin and lutein), α- and γ-tocopherol and retinol were measured by reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography and plasma vitamin C by a colorimetric assay. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) for pancreatic cancer risk were estimated using a conditional logistic regression analysis, adjusted for smoking status, smoking duration and intensity, waist circumference, cotinine levels and diabetes status. Inverse associations with pancreatic cancer risk were found for plasma β-carotene (IRR highest vs. lowest quartile 0.52, 95%CI 0.31-0.88, p for trend = 0.02), zeaxanthin (IRR highest vs. lowest quartile 0.53, 95%CI 0.30-0.94, p for trend = 0.06) and α-tocopherol (IRR highest vs. lowest quartile 0.62, 95%CI 0.39-0.99, p for trend = 0.08. For α- and β-carotene, lutein, sum of carotenoids and γ-tocopherol, heterogeneity between geographical regions was observed. In conclusion, our results show that higher plasma concentrations of β-carotene, zeaxanthin and α-tocopherol may be inversely associated with risk of pancreatic cancer, but further studies are warranted. © 2014 UICC.

  12. Concurrent gemcitabine and radiotherapy with and without neoadjuvant gemcitabine for locally advanced unresectable or resected pancreatic cancer: A phase I-II study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brade, Anthony; Brierley, James; Oza, Amit; Gallinger, Steven; Cummings, Bernard; MacLean, Martha; Pond, Gregory R.; Hedley, David; Wong Shun; Townsley, Carol; Brezden-Masley, Christine; Moore, Malcolm

    2007-01-01

    Purpose: To determine the safety, efficacy, and tolerability of biweekly gemcitabine with concurrent radiotherapy (RT) for resected and locally advanced (LA) pancreatic cancer. Methods and Materials: Eligible patients had either LA or resected pancreatic cancer. Between March 1999 and July 2001, 63 patients (31 with LA and 32 with resected disease) were treated. Of the 63 patients, 28 were enrolled in a Phase I study of increasing radiation doses (35 Gy [n = 7], 43.75 Gy [n = 11], and 52.5 Gy [n = 10] given within 4, 5, or 6 weeks, respectively, in 1.75-Gy fractions) concurrently with 40 mg/m 2 gemcitabine biweekly. Subsequently, 35 were enrolled in a Phase II study with the addition of induction gemcitabine 1000 mg/m 2 within 7 or 8 weeks to concurrent biweekly gemcitabine (40 mg/m 2 ) and 52.5 Gy RT within 6 weeks. Results: In the LA population, the best response observed was a complete response in 1, partial response in 3, stable disease in 10, and progressive disease in 17. In the phase II trial, gemcitabine plus RT was not delivered to 8 patients because of progression with induction gemcitabine alone (n = 5) or by patient request (n = 3). On intent-to-treat analysis, the median survival in the LA patients was 13.9 months and the 2-year survival rate was 16.1%. In the resected population, the median progression-free survival was 8.3 months, the median survival was 18.4 months, and the 2- and 5-year survival rate was 36% and 19.4%, respectively. The treatment was well tolerated; the median gemcitabine dose intensity was 96% of the planned dose in the neoadjuvant and concurrent portions of the Phase II study. No treatment-related deaths occurred. Conclusion: Biweekly gemcitabine (40 mg/m 2 ) concurrently with RT (52.5 Gy in 30 fractions of 1.75 Gy) with or without induction gemcitabine is safe and tolerable and shows efficacy in patients with LA and resected pancreatic cancer

  13. Development and Validation of a Prediction Model to Estimate Individual Risk of Pancreatic Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yu, Ami; Woo, Sang Myung; Joo, Jungnam; Yang, Hye-Ryung; Lee, Woo Jin; Park, Sang-Jae; Nam, Byung-Ho

    2016-01-01

    There is no reliable screening tool to identify people with high risk of developing pancreatic cancer even though pancreatic cancer represents the fifth-leading cause of cancer-related death in Korea. The goal of this study was to develop an individualized risk prediction model that can be used to screen for asymptomatic pancreatic cancer in Korean men and women. Gender-specific risk prediction models for pancreatic cancer were developed using the Cox proportional hazards model based on an 8-year follow-up of a cohort study of 1,289,933 men and 557,701 women in Korea who had biennial examinations in 1996-1997. The performance of the models was evaluated with respect to their discrimination and calibration ability based on the C-statistic and Hosmer-Lemeshow type χ2 statistic. A total of 1,634 (0.13%) men and 561 (0.10%) women were newly diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. Age, height, BMI, fasting glucose, urine glucose, smoking, and age at smoking initiation were included in the risk prediction model for men. Height, BMI, fasting glucose, urine glucose, smoking, and drinking habit were included in the risk prediction model for women. Smoking was the most significant risk factor for developing pancreatic cancer in both men and women. The risk prediction model exhibited good discrimination and calibration ability, and in external validation it had excellent prediction ability. Gender-specific risk prediction models for pancreatic cancer were developed and validated for the first time. The prediction models will be a useful tool for detecting high-risk individuals who may benefit from increased surveillance for pancreatic cancer.

  14. Retinoid Signaling in Pancreatic Cancer, Injury and Regeneration

    Science.gov (United States)

    Colvin, Emily K.; Susanto, Johana M.; Kench, James G.; Ong, Vivienna N.; Mawson, Amanda; Pinese, Mark; Chang, David K.; Rooman, Ilse; O'Toole, Sandra A.; Segara, Davendra; Musgrove, Elizabeth A.; Sutherland, Robert L.; Apte, Minoti V.; Scarlett, Christopher J.; Biankin, Andrew V.

    2011-01-01

    Background Activation of embryonic signaling pathways quiescent in the adult pancreas is a feature of pancreatic cancer (PC). These discoveries have led to the development of novel inhibitors of pathways such as Notch and Hedgehog signaling that are currently in early phase clinical trials in the treatment of several cancer types. Retinoid signaling is also essential for pancreatic development, and retinoid therapy is used successfully in other malignancies such as leukemia, but little is known concerning retinoid signaling in PC. Methodology/Principal Findings We investigated the role of retinoid signaling in vitro and in vivo in normal pancreas, pancreatic injury, regeneration and cancer. Retinoid signaling is active in occasional cells in the adult pancreas but is markedly augmented throughout the parenchyma during injury and regeneration. Both chemically induced and genetically engineered mouse models of PC exhibit a lack of retinoid signaling activity compared to normal pancreas. As a consequence, we investigated Cellular Retinoid Binding Protein 1 (CRBP1), a key regulator of retinoid signaling known to play a role in breast cancer development, as a potential therapeutic target. Loss, or significant downregulation of CRBP1 was present in 70% of human PC, and was evident in the very earliest precursor lesions (PanIN-1A). However, in vitro gain and loss of function studies and CRBP1 knockout mice suggested that loss of CRBP1 expression alone was not sufficient to induce carcinogenesis or to alter PC sensitivity to retinoid based therapies. Conclusions/Significance In conclusion, retinoid signalling appears to play a role in pancreatic regeneration and carcinogenesis, but unlike breast cancer, it is not mediated directly by CRBP1. PMID:22220202

  15. Retinoid signaling in pancreatic cancer, injury and regeneration.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Emily K Colvin

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Activation of embryonic signaling pathways quiescent in the adult pancreas is a feature of pancreatic cancer (PC. These discoveries have led to the development of novel inhibitors of pathways such as Notch and Hedgehog signaling that are currently in early phase clinical trials in the treatment of several cancer types. Retinoid signaling is also essential for pancreatic development, and retinoid therapy is used successfully in other malignancies such as leukemia, but little is known concerning retinoid signaling in PC. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We investigated the role of retinoid signaling in vitro and in vivo in normal pancreas, pancreatic injury, regeneration and cancer. Retinoid signaling is active in occasional cells in the adult pancreas but is markedly augmented throughout the parenchyma during injury and regeneration. Both chemically induced and genetically engineered mouse models of PC exhibit a lack of retinoid signaling activity compared to normal pancreas. As a consequence, we investigated Cellular Retinoid Binding Protein 1 (CRBP1, a key regulator of retinoid signaling known to play a role in breast cancer development, as a potential therapeutic target. Loss, or significant downregulation of CRBP1 was present in 70% of human PC, and was evident in the very earliest precursor lesions (PanIN-1A. However, in vitro gain and loss of function studies and CRBP1 knockout mice suggested that loss of CRBP1 expression alone was not sufficient to induce carcinogenesis or to alter PC sensitivity to retinoid based therapies. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: In conclusion, retinoid signalling appears to play a role in pancreatic regeneration and carcinogenesis, but unlike breast cancer, it is not mediated directly by CRBP1.

  16. Nationwide prospective audit of pancreatic surgery: design, accuracy, and outcomes of the Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Audit

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    van Rijssen, L. Bengt; Koerkamp, Bas G.; Zwart, Maurice J.; Bonsing, Bert A.; Bosscha, Koop; van Dam, Ronald M.; van Eijck, Casper H.; Gerhards, Michael F.; van der Harst, Erwin; de Hingh, Ignace H.; de Jong, Koert P.; Kazemier, Geert; Klaase, Joost; van Laarhoven, Cornelis J.; Molenaar, I. Quintus; Patijn, Gijs A.; Rupert, Coen G.; van Santvoort, Hjalmar C.; Scheepers, Joris J.; van der Schelling, George P.; Busch, Olivier R.; Besselink, Marc G.; Bollen, Thomas L.; Bruno, Marco J.; van Tienhoven, Geert-Jan; Norduyn, Arnold; Berry, David P.; Tingstedt, Bobby; Tseng, Jennifer F.; Wolfgang, Christopher L.

    2017-01-01

    Background: Auditing is an important tool to identify practice variation and 'best practices'. The Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Audit is mandatory in all 18 Dutch centers for pancreatic surgery. Methods: Performance indicators and case-mix factors were identified by a PubMed search for randomized

  17. 3'-Deoxy-3'-18F-fluorothymidine positron emission tomography as an early predictor of disease progression in patients with advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Challapalli, Amarnath; Barwick, Tara; Merchant, Shairoz; Pearson, Rachel A.; Howell, Elizabeth C.; Maxwell, Ross J.; Mauri, Francesco; Sumpter, Katherine; Aboagye, Eric O.; Sharma, Rohini

    2015-01-01

    3'-Deoxy-3'- 18 F-fluorothymidine (FLT) positron emission tomography (PET) has limited utility in abdominal imaging due to high physiological hepatic uptake of tracer. We evaluated FLT PET/CT combined with a temporal-intensity information-based voxel-clustering approach termed kinetic spatial filtering (FLT PET/CT KSF ) for early prediction of response and survival outcomes in locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer patients receiving gemcitabine-based chemotherapy. Dynamic FLT PET/CT data were collected before and 3 weeks after the first cycle of chemotherapy. Changes in tumour FLT PET/CT variables were determined. The primary end point was RECIST 1.1 response on contrast-enhanced CT after 3 months of therapy. Twenty patients were included. Visual distinction between tumours and normal pancreas was seen in FLT PET KSF images. All target lesions (>2 cm), including all primary pancreatic tumours, were visualised. Of the 11 liver metastases, 3 (<2 cm) were not visible after kinetic filtering. Of the 20 patients, 7 progressed (35 %). Maximum standardised uptake value at 60 min post-injection (SUV 60,max ) significantly increased in patients with disease progression (p = 0.04). Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that a threshold of SUV 60,max increase of ≥ 12 % resulted in sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value (PPV) of 71, 100 and 100 %, respectively [area under the curve (AUC) 0.90, p = 0.0001], to predict patients with disease progression. Changes in SUV 60,max were not predictive of survival. FLT PET/CT detected changes in proliferation, with early increase in SUV 60,max predicting progressive disease with a high specificity and PPV. Therefore, FLT PET/CT could be used as an early response biomarker for gemcitabine-based chemotherapy, to select a poor prognostic group who may benefit from novel therapeutic agents in advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer. (orig.)

  18. Organoid Models of Human and Mouse Ductal Pancreatic Cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Boj, Sylvia F.; Hwang, Chang-Il; Baker, Lindsey A.; Chio, Iok In Christine; Engle, Dannielle D.; Corbo, Vincenzo; Jager, Myrthe; Ponz-Sarvise, Mariano; Tiriac, Herve; Spector, Mona S.; Gracanin, Ana; Oni, Tobiloba; Yu, Kenneth H.; van Boxtel, Ruben; Huch, Meritxell; Rivera, Keith D.; Wilson, John P.; Feigin, Michael E.; Oehlund, Daniel; Handly-Santana, Abram; Ardito-Abraham, Christine M.; Ludwig, Michael; Elyada, Ela; Alagesan, Brinda; Biffi, Giulia; Yordanov, Georgi N.; Delcuze, Bethany; Creighton, Brianna; Wright, Kevin; Park, Youngkyu; Morsink, Folkert H. M.; Molenaar, IQ; Borel Rinkes, Inne H.; Cuppen, Edwin; Hao, Yuan; Jin, Ying; Nijman, Isaac J.; Iacobuzio-Donahue, Christine; Leach, Steven D.; Pappin, Darryl J.; Hammell, Molly; Klimstra, David S.; Basturk, Olca; Hruban, Ralph H.; Offerhaus, George Johan; Vries, Robert G. J.; Clevers, Hans; Tuveson, David A.

    2015-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal malignancies due to its late diagnosis and limited response to treatment. Tractable methods to identify and interrogate pathways involved in pancreatic tumorigenesis are urgently needed. We established organoid models from normal and neoplastic murine and

  19. Flavonoid and lignan intake and pancreatic cancer risk in the European prospective investigation into cancer and nutrition cohort

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Molina-Montes, Esther; Sánchez, María José; Zamora-Ros, Raul; Bueno-de-Mesquita, H. Bas; Wark, Petra A.; Obon-Santacana, Mireia; Kühn, Tilman; Katzke, Verena; Travis, Ruth C.; Ye, Weimin; Sund, Malin; Naccarati, Alessio; Mattiello, Amalia; Krogh, Vittorio; Martorana, Caterina; Masala, Giovanna; Amiano, Pilar; Huerta, José María; Barricarte, Aurelio; Quirós, José Ramón; Weiderpass, Elisabete; Angell Åsli, Lene; Skeie, Guri; Ericson, Ulrika; Sonestedt, Emily; Peeters, Petra H.; Romieu, Isabelle; Scalbert, Augustin; Overvad, Kim; Clemens, Matthias; Boeing, Heiner; Trichopoulou, Antonia; Peppa, Eleni; Vidalis, Pavlos; Khaw, Kay Tee; Wareham, Nick; Olsen, Anja; Tjønneland, Anne; Boutroun-Rualt, Marie Christine; Clavel-Chapelon, Françoise; Cross, Amanda J.; Lu, Yunxia; Riboli, Elio; Duell, Eric J.

    2016-01-01

    Despite the potential cancer preventive effects of flavonoids and lignans, their ability to reduce pancreatic cancer risk has not been demonstrated in epidemiological studies. Our aim was to examine the association between dietary intakes of flavonoids and lignans and pancreatic cancer risk in the

  20. Nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine in the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer: utility and experience from the clinic

    OpenAIRE

    Dragovich, Tomislav; Kundranda,Madappa

    2016-01-01

    Madappa N Kundranda, Tomislav Dragovich Division of Hematology and Oncology, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, Gilbert, AZ, USA Abstract: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma remains one of the deadliest epithelial cancers, primarily due to late diagnosis, early metastasis and the lack of effective treatments. With recent advances in systemic therapies, the median survival for metastatic disease has essentially doubled to approximately 1 year, and a significant number of patients are receiving m...

  1. Ovatodiolide of Anisomeles indica Exerts the Anticancer Potential on Pancreatic Cancer Cell Lines through STAT3 and NF-κB Regulation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ya-Ju Hsieh

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is the eighth leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Patients with pancreatic cancer are normally diagnosed at an advanced stage and present poor survival rate. Ovatodiolide (OV, a bioactive macrocyclic diterpenoid isolated from Anisomeles indica, showed cytotoxicity effects in pancreatic cancer cells by inhibiting cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis. Moreover, not only were cell adhesion and invasion markedly suppressed in a dose-dependent manner, but the mRNA expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9 and focal adhesion kinase (FAK was also significantly decreased. Western blot analysis indicated that OV potently suppressed the phosphorylation of STAT-3 and its upstream kinase including ERK1/2, P38, and AKT Ser473. Meanwhile, OV inactivated the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB by inhibiting IκB kinase (IKK α/β activation and the subsequent suppression of inhibitor of kappa B (IκB phosphorylation. These results demonstrated that OV could potentially inhibit Mia-PaCa2 cancer cells proliferation and induce apoptosis through modulation of NF-κB and STAT3 pathway. Moreover, OV suppressed cell invasiveness and interfered with cell-matrix adhesion in Mia-PaCa2 cancer cells by reducing MMP-9 and FAK transcription through suppressing NF-κB and STAT3 pathway. Taken together, our findings reveal a new therapeutic and antimetastatic potential of ovatodiolide for pancreatic cancer remedy.

  2. Real-imaging cDNA-AFLP transcript profiling of pancreatic cancer patients: Egr-1 as a potential key regulator of muscle cachexia

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Skorokhod, Alexander [Division of Preventive Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 581, 69120, Heidelberg (Germany); Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Ukrainian Academy of Sciences, Zabolotnogo str. 150, 03143, Kiev (Ukraine); Bachmann, Jeannine [Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675, Munich (Germany); Giese, Nathalia A [Department of General Surgery, University of Heidelberg, ImNeuenheimer Feld, 110 69120, Heidelberg (Germany); Martignoni, Marc E [Department of Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technische Universität München, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675, Munich (Germany); Krakowski-Roosen, Holger [Division of Preventive Oncology, National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Heidelberg, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 581, 69120, Heidelberg (Germany)

    2012-06-21

    Cancer cachexia is a progressive wasting syndrome and the most prevalent characteristic of cancer in patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma. We hypothesize that genes expressed in wasted skeletal muscle of pancreatic cancer patients may determine the initiation and severity of cachexia syndrome. We studied gene expression in skeletal muscle biopsies from pancreatic cancer patients with and without cachexia utilizing Real-Imaging cDNA-AFLP-based transcript profiling for genome-wide expression analysis. Our approach yielded 183 cachexia-associated genes. Ontology analysis revealed characteristic changes for a number of genes involved in muscle contraction, actin cytoskeleton rearrangement, protein degradation, tissue hypoxia, immediate early response and acute-phase response. We demonstrate that Real-Imaging cDNA-AFLP analysis is a robust method for high-throughput gene expression studies of cancer cachexia syndrome in patients with pancreatic cancer. According to quantitative RT-PCR validation, the expression levels of genes encoding the acute-phase proteins α-antitrypsin and fibrinogen α and the immediate early response genes Egr-1 and IER-5 were significantly elevated in the skeletal muscle of wasted patients. By immunohistochemical and Western immunoblotting analysis it was shown, that Egr-1 expression is significantly increased in patients with cachexia and cancer. This provides new evidence that chronic activation of systemic inflammatory response might be a common and unifying factor of muscle cachexia.

  3. Real-imaging cDNA-AFLP transcript profiling of pancreatic cancer patients: Egr-1 as a potential key regulator of muscle cachexia

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Skorokhod, Alexander; Bachmann, Jeannine; Giese, Nathalia A; Martignoni, Marc E; Krakowski-Roosen, Holger

    2012-01-01

    Cancer cachexia is a progressive wasting syndrome and the most prevalent characteristic of cancer in patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma. We hypothesize that genes expressed in wasted skeletal muscle of pancreatic cancer patients may determine the initiation and severity of cachexia syndrome. We studied gene expression in skeletal muscle biopsies from pancreatic cancer patients with and without cachexia utilizing Real-Imaging cDNA-AFLP-based transcript profiling for genome-wide expression analysis. Our approach yielded 183 cachexia-associated genes. Ontology analysis revealed characteristic changes for a number of genes involved in muscle contraction, actin cytoskeleton rearrangement, protein degradation, tissue hypoxia, immediate early response and acute-phase response. We demonstrate that Real-Imaging cDNA-AFLP analysis is a robust method for high-throughput gene expression studies of cancer cachexia syndrome in patients with pancreatic cancer. According to quantitative RT-PCR validation, the expression levels of genes encoding the acute-phase proteins α-antitrypsin and fibrinogen α and the immediate early response genes Egr-1 and IER-5 were significantly elevated in the skeletal muscle of wasted patients. By immunohistochemical and Western immunoblotting analysis it was shown, that Egr-1 expression is significantly increased in patients with cachexia and cancer. This provides new evidence that chronic activation of systemic inflammatory response might be a common and unifying factor of muscle cachexia

  4. A missing link between RON expression and oncological outcomes in resected left-sided pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Han, Dai Hoon; Kang, Chang Moo; Lee, Sung Whan; Hwang, Ho Kyoung; Lee, Woo Jung

    2017-10-01

    Alteration and activation of recepteur d'origine nantais (RON) expression is known to be associated with cancer progression and decreased survival in various types of human cancer, including pancreatic cancer. Therefore, in the present study, RON expression levels were determined in resected left-sided pancreatic cancer to evaluate the potential oncological role of RON in the clinical setting of distal pancreatic cancer. From January 2005 to December 2011, a total of 57 patients underwent radical distal pancreatectomy for left-sided pancreatic cancer. Ductal adenocarcinoma was confirmed in all patients. Among these patients, 17 patients who received preoperative neoadjuvant treatment and 7 patients without available paraffin-embedded tissue blocks were excluded from the present study. RON expression in a the pancreatic cancer cell lines ASPC-1, BxPC-3, MiaPaCa-3 and Panc-1, as well as in resected left-sided pancreatic cancer specimens was determined by Western blot analysis. RON and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) overexpression in resected left-sided pancreatic cancer was also evaluated by immunohistochemistry using pre-diluted anti-RON and anti-VEGF antibodies. An association was identified between the oncological outcome and RON overexpression. Increased levels of RON expression were observed in two pancreatic cancer cell lines, AsPC-1 and BxPC-3. RON overexpression was detected in specimens from 15/33 patients (45.5%) using immunohistochemistry. No significant association was identified between RON overexpression and VEGF overexpression (25.5 vs. 87.9%; P=0.667). No significant differences in disease-free survival or disease-specific survival associated with RON overexpression were identified. Although the results of previous studies have suggested that RON is a potential target for the treatment of pancreatic cancer, in the present study no association between RON overexpression and any adverse oncological effect was identified.

  5. Nab-paclitaxel plus gemcitabine in the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer: utility and experience from the clinic

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kundranda MN

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Madappa N Kundranda, Tomislav Dragovich Division of Hematology and Oncology, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, Gilbert, AZ, USA Abstract: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma remains one of the deadliest epithelial cancers, primarily due to late diagnosis, early metastasis and the lack of effective treatments. With recent advances in systemic therapies, the median survival for metastatic disease has essentially doubled to approximately 1 year, and a significant number of patients are receiving multiple lines of therapy. One such first-line therapy is the combination of gemcitabine with nab-paclitaxel, which was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 2013. This standard option is now serving as a backbone to other novel combinations. In this review, we focus on the development of this combination, its clinical utility, and real-life experiences of managing patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma receiving gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel. Keywords: pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, nab-paclitaxel, MPACT trial, PRODIGE 4/ACCORD 11 trial

  6. Accuracy of computed tomography in determining pancreatic cancer tumor size

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aoki, Kazunori; Okada, Shuichi; Moriyama, Noriyuki

    1994-01-01

    We compared tumor sizes determined by computed tomography (CT) with those of the resected specimens in 26 patients with pancreatic cancer in order to clarify whether or not the size of a pancreatic tumor can be accurately determined by CT. From the precontrast, postcontrast and arterial dominant phases of dynamic CT, the arterial dominant phase was found to yield the highest correlation between CT measured tumor size and that of the resected specimens (p<0.01). The correlation coefficient was, however, not high (r=0.67). CT alone may therefore be insufficient to determine tumor size in pancreatic cancer accurately. (author)

  7. Radiosensitization of pancreatic cancer cells by 2',2'-difluoro-2'-deoxycytidine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lawrence, Theodore S.; Chang, Emily Y.; Hahn, Tina M.; Hertel, Larry W.; Shewach, Donna S.

    1996-01-01

    Purpose: We have reported that the deoxycytidine analog 2',2'-difluoro-2'-deoxycytidine (dFdCyd) is a potent radiosensitizer of HT29 human colon cancer cells probably through its effects on intracellular deoxyribonucleotide (dNTP) pools. Because dFdCyd has activity against pancreatic cancer in clinical trials, we wished to determine if dFdCyd would radiosensitize human pancreatic cancer cells. Methods and Materials: We assessed the effect of dFdCyd on radiation sensitivity of two human pancreatic cancer cell lines, Panc-1 and BxPC-3. To begin to investigate the mechanism of sensitization, we determined the effect of dFdCyd on dNTP pools and cell cycle distribution. Results: We found that dFdCyd produced radiation enhancement ratios of 1.7-1.8 under noncytotoxic conditions in both cell lines. Sensitization was not associated with intracellular levels of 2',2'-difluoro-2'-deoxycytidine triphosphate, the cytotoxic metabolite of dFdCyd, but occurred when dATP pools were depleted below the level of approximately 1 μM. Although both cell lines showed substantial cell cycle redistribution after drug treatment, the flow cytogram of the BxPC-3 cells would not, by itself, be anticipated to result in increased radiation sensitivity. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that dFdCyd is a potent radiation sensitizer of human pancreatic cancer cells and support the development of a clinical protocol using combined dFdCyd and radiation therapy in the treatment of pancreatic cancer

  8. Knockdown of ZFR suppresses cell proliferation and invasion of human pancreatic cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xiaolan Zhao

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Zinc finger RNA binding protein (ZFR is involved in the regulation of growth and cancer development. However, little is known about ZFR function in pancreatic cancer. METHODS: Herein, to investigate whether ZFR is involved in tumor growth, Oncomine microarray data was firstly used to evaluate ZFR gene expression in human pancreatic tumors. Then short hairpin RNA (shRNA targeting ZFR was designed and delivered into PANC-1 pancreatic cancer cells to knock down ZFR expression. Cell viability, cell proliferation and cell cycle analysis after ZFR knockdown were determined by MTT, colony forming and FACS, respectively. In addition, cell migration and invasion were assessed using the Transwell system. RESULTS: The expression of ZFR was significantly higher in pancreatic tumors than normal pancreas tissues by Oncomine database analysis. Knockdown of ZFR by shRNA-expressing lentivirus significantly decreased the viability and invasion ability of pancreatic cancer cells. Moreover, FACS analysis showed that knockdown of ZFR in PANC-1 cells caused a significant cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase. Furthermore, knockdown of ZFR decreased the levels of CDK2, CDK4, CyclinA and CyclinD1 and enhanced the expression of p27, which has evidenced by qRT-PCR and Western blot analysis. CONCLUSIONS: Knockdown of ZFR might provide a novel alternative to targeted therapy of pancreatic cancer and deserves further investigation.

  9. Effect of cyclophilin A on gene expression in human pancreatic cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Min; Wang, Hao; Li, Fei; Fisher, William E; Chen, Changyi; Yao, Qizhi

    2005-11-01

    We previously found that cyclophilin A (CypA) is overexpressed in human pancreatic cancer cells and stimulates cell proliferation through CD147. In this study, we further investigated the effect of CypA on gene expression of several key molecules that are involved in pancreatic cancer cell proliferation. Human pancreatic cancer cell lines (Panc-1, MIA PaCa-2, and BxPC-3) and human pancreatic ductal epithelial (HPDE) cells were used. The messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of CypA, CypB, CD147, neuropilins (NRPs), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and VEGF receptors upon the treatment of exogenous recombinant human CypA were determined by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Exogenous human recombinant CypA reduced the mRNA levels of NRP-1 and VEGF, but not endogenous CypA, CypB, and CD147, in Panc-1, MIA PaCa-2, and BxPC-3 cells. In contrast, HPDE cells showed a decrease of endogenous CypA and CD147 mRNA, but not detectable changes of CypB, NRPs, and VEGF mRNA levels upon exogenous CypA treatment. These data show that exogenous CypA downregulates NRP-1 and VEGF expression in pancreatic cancer cells. This effect is different in normal HPDE cells. Thus, soluble CypA may affect cell growth of pancreatic cancer.

  10. Targeting senescence cells in pancreatic cancer | IDRC ...

    International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Digital Library (Canada)

    Targeting senescence cells in pancreatic cancer. Cellular senescence is a programmed response to oncogenic (tumour-causing) stress that aims to halt the expansion of cells with malignant potential. It does this by stopping the proliferation of pre-cancerous lesions and recruitment of the immune system for their elimination.

  11. Prognosis Relevance of Serum Cytokines in Pancreatic Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Alejandre, Maria José; Palomino-Morales, Rogelio J.; Prados, Jose; Aránega, Antonia; Delgado, Juan R.; Irigoyen, Antonio; Martínez-Galán, Joaquina; Ortuño, Francisco M.

    2015-01-01

    The overall survival of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is extremely low. Although gemcitabine is the standard used chemotherapy for this disease, clinical outcomes do not reflect significant improvements, not even when combined with adjuvant treatments. There is an urgent need for prognosis markers to be found. The aim of this study was to analyze the potential value of serum cytokines to find a profile that can predict the clinical outcome in patients with pancreatic cancer and to establish a practical prognosis index that significantly predicts patients' outcomes. We have conducted an extensive analysis of serum prognosis biomarkers using an antibody array comprising 507 human cytokines. Overall survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate Cox's proportional hazard models were used to analyze prognosis factors. To determine the extent that survival could be predicted based on this index, we used the leave-one-out cross-validation model. The multivariate model showed a better performance and it could represent a novel panel of serum cytokines that correlates to poor prognosis in pancreatic cancer. B7-1/CD80, EG-VEGF/PK1, IL-29, NRG1-beta1/HRG1-beta1, and PD-ECGF expressions portend a poor prognosis for patients with pancreatic cancer and these cytokines could represent novel therapeutic targets for this disease. PMID:26346854

  12. Prognosis Relevance of Serum Cytokines in Pancreatic Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Carolina Torres

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available The overall survival of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma is extremely low. Although gemcitabine is the standard used chemotherapy for this disease, clinical outcomes do not reflect significant improvements, not even when combined with adjuvant treatments. There is an urgent need for prognosis markers to be found. The aim of this study was to analyze the potential value of serum cytokines to find a profile that can predict the clinical outcome in patients with pancreatic cancer and to establish a practical prognosis index that significantly predicts patients’ outcomes. We have conducted an extensive analysis of serum prognosis biomarkers using an antibody array comprising 507 human cytokines. Overall survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate Cox’s proportional hazard models were used to analyze prognosis factors. To determine the extent that survival could be predicted based on this index, we used the leave-one-out cross-validation model. The multivariate model showed a better performance and it could represent a novel panel of serum cytokines that correlates to poor prognosis in pancreatic cancer. B7-1/CD80, EG-VEGF/PK1, IL-29, NRG1-beta1/HRG1-beta1, and PD-ECGF expressions portend a poor prognosis for patients with pancreatic cancer and these cytokines could represent novel therapeutic targets for this disease.

  13. The preclinical evaluation of TIC10/ONC201 as an anti-pancreatic cancer agent.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Qiangbo; Wang, Hong; Ran, Lin; Zhang, Zongli; Jiang, Runde

    2016-08-05

    Here we evaluated the potential anti-pancreatic cancer activity by TIC10/ONC201, a first-in-class small-molecule inducer of tumor necrosis (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). The in vitro results showed that TIC10 induced potent cytotoxic and cytostatic activities in several human pancreatic cancer cell lines (Panc-1, Mia-PaCa2, AsPC-1 or L3.6). TIC10 activated both extrinsic (TRAIL-caspase-8-dependent) and endogenous/mitochondrial (caspase-9-dependent) apoptosis pathways in the pancreatic cancer cells. Molecularly, we showed that TIC10 inhibited Akt-Erk activation, yet induced TRAIL expression in pancreatic cancer cells. Significantly, TIC10, at a relatively low concentration, sensitized gemcitabine-induced growth inhibition and apoptosis against pancreatic cancer cells. Further, TIC10 and gemcitabine synergistically inhibited Panc-1 xenograft growth in SCID mice. The combination treatment also significantly improved mice survival. In addition, Akt-Erk in-activation and TRAIL/cleaved-caspase-8 induction were observed in TIC10-treated Panc-1 xenografts. Together, the preclinical results of the study demonstrate the potent anti-pancreatic cancer activity by TIC10, or with gemcitabine. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  14. A meta-analysis of gemcitabine containing chemotherapy for locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ma Yue

    2011-03-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background The objectives of the present study are to investigate the efficacy and safety profile of gemcitabine-based combinations in the treatment of locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (LA/MPC. Methods We performed a computerized search using combinations of the following keywords: "chemotherapy", "gemcitabine", "trial", and "pancreatic cancer". Results Thirty-five trials were included in the present analysis, with a total of 9,979 patients accrued. The analysis showed that the gemcitabine-based combination therapy was associated with significantly better overall survival (OS (ORs, 1.15; p = 0.011, progression-free survival (PFS (ORs, 1.27; p Conclusions Gemcitabine in combination with capecitabine or oxaliplatin was associated with enhanced OS and ORR as compared with gemcitabine in monotherapy, which are likely to become the preferred standard first-line treatment of LA/MPC.

  15. Potential New Pharmacological Agents Derived From Medicinal Plants for the Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Azimi, Haniye; Khakshur, Ali Asghar; Abdollahi, Mohammad; Rahimi, Roja

    2015-01-01

    In the present article, we reviewed plants and phytochemical compounds demonstrating beneficial effects in pancreatic cancer to find new sources of pharmaceutical agents. For this purpose, Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google scholar were searched for plants or herbal components with beneficial effects in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Data were collected up to January 2013. The search terms were "plant," "herb," "herbal therapy," or "phytotherapy" and "pancreatic cancer" or "pancreas." All of the human in vivo and in vitro studies were included. According to studies, among diverse plants and phytochemicals, 12 compounds including apigenin, genistein, quercetin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate, benzyl isothiocyanate, sulforaphane, curcumin, thymoquinone, dihydroartemisinin, cucurbitacin B, and perillyl alcohol have beneficial action against pancreatic cancer cells through 4 or more mechanisms. Applying their plausible synergistic effects can be an imperative approach for finding new efficient pharmacological agents in the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

  16. Short-chain C6 ceramide sensitizes AT406-induced anti-pancreatic cancer cell activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhao, Xiaoguang; Sun, Baoyou; Zhang, Jingjing; Zhang, Ruishen; Zhang, Qing

    2016-01-01

    Our previous study has shown that AT406, a first-in-class small molecular antagonist of IAPs (inhibitor of apoptosis proteins), inhibits pancreatic cancer cell proliferation in vitro and in vivo. The aim of this research is to increase AT406's sensitivity by adding short-chain C6 ceramide. We show that co-treatment of C6 ceramide dramatically potentiated AT406-induced caspase/apoptosis activation and cytotoxicity in established (Panc-1 and Mia-PaCa-2 lines) and primary human pancreatic cancer cells. Reversely, caspase inhibitors largely attenuated C6 ceramide plus AT406-induced above cancer cell death. Molecularly, C6 ceramide downregulated Bcl-2 to increase AT406's sensitivity in pancreatic cancer cells. Intriguingly, C6 ceramide-mediated AT406 sensitization was nullified with Bcl-2 shRNA knockdown or pretreatment of the Bcl-2 inhibitor ABT-737. In vivo, liposomal C6 ceramide plus AT406 co-administration dramatically inhibited Panc-1 xenograft tumor growth in severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice. The combined anti-tumor activity was significantly more potent than either single treatment. Expressions of IAPs (cIAP1/XIAP) and Bcl-2 were downregulated in Panc-1 xenografts with the co-administration. Together, we demonstrate that C6 ceramide sensitizes AT406-mediated anti-pancreatic cancer cell activity possibly via downregulating Bcl-2. - Highlights: • C6 ceramide dramatically potentiates AT406-induced pancreatic cancer cell death. • C6 ceramide facilitates AT406-induced pancreatic cancer cell apoptosis. • C6 ceramide downregulates Bcl-2 to increase AT406's sensitivity in pancreatic cancer cells. • Liposomal C6 ceramide enhances AT406-induced anti-pancreatic cancer activity in vivo.

  17. Relationship between individual and family characteristics and psychosocial factors in persons with familial pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Underhill, Meghan; Hong, Fangxin; Lawrence, Janette; Blonquist, Traci; Syngal, Sapna

    2018-03-23

    Describe relationships between self-reported personal demographics or familial characteristics and psychosocial outcomes (Patient Reported Outcome Measurement Information System Global Health, Impact of Event Scale-Revised [pancreatic cancer risk-related distress], cancer risk perception, and cancer worry) in participants with inherited or familial pancreatic cancer risk. A multisite cross sectional survey of adults with elevated pancreatic cancer risk based on family history. All variables were summarized with descriptive statistics. To assess univariate associations, t test and chi-square/Fisher's exact test were used, and backward model selection was used in multivariable analysis. Respondents (N = 132) reported moderate to high frequency of cancer worry and 59.3% perceived a 50% or more perceived lifetime risk for pancreatic cancer, which far exceeds objective risk estimates. Cancer worry was associated with female gender (P = .03) and pancreatic cancer risk specific distress (P = .05). Higher-risk perception was associated with having a high school education or less (P = .001), higher distress (P = .02), and cancer worry (P = .008) and family cancer death experience (P = .02). Higher distress was associated with experience as a caregiver to a seriously ill family member in the past 5 years (P = .006). Individuals with inherited or familial pancreatic cancer risk experience cancer worry, distress, and have increased risk perception, particularly in the period following caring for a loved one with cancer. Routine evaluation of distress in this setting, as well as the development of supportive care resources, will help support patients living with risk for pancreatic cancer. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  18. Phase II trial of sorafenib and erlotinib in advanced pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cardin, Dana B; Goff, Laura; Li, Chung-I; Shyr, Yu; Winkler, Charles; DeVore, Russell; Schlabach, Larry; Holloway, Melanie; McClanahan, Pam; Meyer, Krista; Grigorieva, Julia; Berlin, Jordan; Chan, Emily

    2014-01-01

    This trial was designed to assess efficacy and safety of erlotinib with sorafenib in the treatment of patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma. An exploratory correlative study analyzing pretreatment serum samples using a multivariate protein mass spectrometry-based test (VeriStrat®), previously shown to correlate with outcomes in lung cancer patients treated with erlotinib, was performed. Patients received sorafenib 400 mg daily along with erlotinib 150 mg daily with a primary endpoint of 8-week progression free survival (PFS) rate. Pretreatment serum sample analysis by VeriStrat was done blinded to clinical and outcome data; the endpoints were PFS and overall survival (OS). Difference between groups (by VeriStrat classification) was assessed using log-rank P values; hazard ratios (HR) were obtained from Cox proportional hazards model. Thirty-six patients received study drug and were included in the survival analysis. Eight-week PFS rate of 46% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.32–0.67) did not meet the primary endpoint of a rate ≥70%. Thirty-two patients were included in the correlative analysis, and VeriStrat “Good” patients had superior PFS (HR = 0.18, 95% CI: 0.06–0.57; P = 0.001) and OS (HR = 0.31 95% CI: 0.13–0.77, P = 0.008) compared to VeriStrat “Poor” patients. Grade 3 toxicities of this regimen included fever, anemia, diarrhea, dehydration, rash, and altered liver function. This study did not meet the primary endpoint, and this combination will not be further pursued. In this small retrospective analysis, the proteomic classification was significantly associated with clinical outcomes and is being further evaluated in ongoing studies

  19. TGF-β in pancreatic cancer initiation and progression: two sides of the same coin.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Shen, Wei; Tao, Guo-Qing; Zhang, Yu; Cai, Bing; Sun, Jian; Tian, Zhi-Qiang

    2017-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is highly lethal malignant tumor with characterised rapid progression, invasiveness and resistance to radiochemotherapy. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) signaling plays a dual role in both pro-tumorigenic and tumor suppressive of pancreatic cancer, depending on tumor stage and microenvironment. TGF-β signaling components alteration are common in pancreatic cancer, and its leading role in tumor formation and metastases has received increased attention. Many therapies have investigated to target TGF-β signaling in the preclinical and clinical setting. In this review, we highlight the dual roles of TGF-β and touch upon the perspectives on therapeutic target of TGF-β signaling in pancreatic cancer.

  20. The RON receptor tyrosine kinase in pancreatic cancer pathogenesis and its potential implications for future targeted therapies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Chang Moo; Babicky, Michele L; Lowy, Andrew M

    2014-03-01

    Pancreatic cancer remains a devastating disease with a mortality rate that has not changed substantially in decades. Novel therapies are therefore desperately needed. The RON receptor tyrosine kinase has been identified as an important mediator of KRAS oncogene addiction and is overexpressed in the majority of pancreatic cancers. Preclinical studies show that inhibition of RON function decreases pancreatic cancer cell migration, invasion, and survival and can sensitize pancreatic cancer cells to chemotherapy. This article reviews the current state of knowledge regarding RON biology and pancreatic cancer and discusses its potential as a therapeutic target.

  1. Chemoresistance in Pancreatic Cancer Is Driven by Stroma-Derived Insulin-Like Growth Factors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahmed, Muhammad S.; Rainer, Carolyn; Nielsen, Sebastian R.; Quaranta, Valeria; Weyer-Czernilofsky, Ulrike; Engle, Danielle D.; Perez-Mancera, Pedro A.; Coupland, Sarah E.; Taktak, Azzam; Bogenrieder, Thomas; Tuveson, David A.; Campbell, Fiona; Schmid, Michael C.; Mielgo, Ainhoa

    2017-01-01

    Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) and myofibroblasts are key drivers in cancer that are associated with drug resistance in many cancers, including pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). However, our understanding of the molecular mechanisms by which TAM and fibroblasts contribute to chemoresistance is unclear. In this study, we found that TAM and myofibroblasts directly support chemoresistance of pancreatic cancer cells by secreting insulin-like growth factors (IGF) 1 and 2, which activate insulin/IGF receptors on pancreatic cancer cells. Immunohistochemical analysis of biopsies from patients with pancreatic cancer revealed that 72% of the patients expressed activated insulin/IGF receptors on tumor cells, and this positively correlates with increased CD163+ TAM infiltration. In vivo, we found that TAM and myofibroblasts were the main sources of IGF production, and pharmacologic blockade of IGF sensitized pancreatic tumors to gemcitabine. These findings suggest that inhibition of IGF in combination with chemotherapy could benefit patients with PDAC, and that insulin/IGF1R activation may be used as a biomarker to identify patients for such therapeutic intervention. PMID:27742686

  2. Gestational diabetes as a risk factor for pancreatic cancer: a prospective cohort study

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Calderon R

    2007-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Diabetes is known to be associated with cancer of the pancreas, though there is some debate as to whether it is a cause or a consequence of the disease. We investigated the incidence of pancreatic cancer in a cohort of 37926 Israeli women followed for 28–40 years for whom information on diabetes had been collected at the time they gave birth, in 1964–1976, in Jerusalem. There were 54 cases of pancreatic cancer ascertained from the Israel Cancer Registry during follow-up. Methods We used Cox proportional hazards models to adjust for age at baseline and explore effects of other risk factors, including ethnic groups, preeclampsia, birth order and birth weight of offspring. Results We observed no cases of pancreatic cancer in the women with insulin dependent diabetes; however, there were five cases in the women with gestational diabetes. The interval between the record of diabetes in pregnancy and the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer ranged from 14–35 years. Women with a history of gestational diabetes showed a relative risk of pancreatic cancer of 7.1 (95% confidence interval, 2.8–18.0. Conclusion We conclude that gestational diabetes is strongly related to the risk of cancer of the pancreas in women in this population, and that gestational diabetes can precede cancer diagnosis by many years.

  3. Discussion of difficult problems of early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    GUO Xiaozhong

    2014-08-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is a common malignant neoplasm of the pancreas with an extremely high mortality. Currently, the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer is still not ideal. Attention should be paid to some clinical warning symptoms, such as unexplained abdominal and back pain, jaundice, and unexpected diabetes. Additionally, the combined use of CA19-9, CEA, and other tumor markers, the attention to biochemical indicators, the detection of mutation in KAI1 or p53 gene, and the exploration of the value of miRNA in clinical diagnosis are of great significance. On the other hand, ultrasound, CT, MRCP, ERCP, PET-CT, and other imaging methods, as well as effective collection of cytology specimens, should be performed. Thus, there is hope for the early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer.

  4. Cancer Stem Cells, EMT, and Developmental Pathway Activation in Pancreatic Tumors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hindriksen, Sanne; Bijlsma, Maarten F.

    2012-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is a disease with remarkably poor patient survival rates. The frequent presence of metastases and profound chemoresistance pose a severe problem for the treatment of these tumors. Moreover, cross-talk between the tumor and the local micro-environment contributes to tumorigenicity, metastasis and chemoresistance. Compared to bulk tumor cells, cancer stem cells (CSC) have reduced sensitivity to chemotherapy. CSC are tumor cells with stem-like features that possess the ability to self-renew, but can also give rise to more differentiated progeny. CSC can be identified based on increased in vitro spheroid- or colony formation, enhanced in vivo tumor initiating potential, or expression of cell surface markers. Since CSC are thought to be required for the maintenance of a tumor cell population, these cells could possibly serve as a therapeutic target. There appears to be a causal relationship between CSC and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in pancreatic tumors. The occurrence of EMT in pancreatic cancer cells is often accompanied by re-activation of developmental pathways, such as the Hedgehog, WNT, NOTCH, and Nodal/Activin pathways. Therapeutics based on CSC markers, EMT, developmental pathways, or tumor micro-environment could potentially be used to target pancreatic CSC. This may lead to a reduction of tumor growth, metastatic events, and chemoresistance in pancreatic cancer

  5. Dual drug loaded chitosan nanoparticles-sugar--coated arsenal against pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    David, Karolyn Infanta; Jaidev, Leela Raghav; Sethuraman, Swaminathan; Krishnan, Uma Maheswari

    2015-11-01

    Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive form of cancer with poor survival rates. The increased mortality due to pancreatic cancer arises due to many factors such as development of multidrug resistance, presence of cancer stem cells, development of a stromal barrier and a hypoxic environment due to hypo-perfusion. The present study aims to develop a nanocarrier for a combination of drugs that can address these multiple issues. Quercetin and 5-fluorouracil were loaded in chitosan nanoparticles, individually as well as in combination. The nanoparticles were characterized for morphology, size, zeta potential, percentage encapsulation of drugs as well as their release profiles in different media. The dual drug-loaded carrier exhibited good entrapment efficiency (quercetin 95% and 5-fluorouracil 75%) with chitosan: quercetin: 5-fluorouracil in the ratio 3:1:2. The release profiles suggest that 5-fluorouracil preferentially localized in the periphery while quercetin was located towards the core of chitosan nanoparticles. Both drugs exhibited considerable association with the chitosan matrix. The dual drug-loaded carrier system exhibited significant toxicity towards pancreatic cancer cells both in the 2D as well as in the 3D cultures. We believe that the results from these studies can open up interesting options in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  6. Desmoglein 2 is a substrate of kallikrein 7 in pancreatic cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ramani, Vishnu C; Hennings, Leah; Haun, Randy S

    2008-01-01

    In a previous report we have demonstrated that the chymotryptic-like serine protease kallikrein 7 (KLK7/hK7) is overexpressed in pancreatic cancer. In normal skin, hK7 is thought to participate in skin desquamation by contributing in the degradation of desmosomal components, such as desmogleins. Thus, the ability of hK7 to degrade desmogleins was assessed and the effect of hK7 expression on desmoglein 2 was examined in cultured pancreatic cancer cells. The expression of Dsg1, Dsg2, and Dsg3 in pancreatic tissues was examined by immunohistochemistry and their expression in two pancreatic cancer cell lines, BxPC-3 and Panc-1, was determined by western blot analysis. The ability of hK7 to degrade Dsg1 and Dsg2 was investigated using in vitro degradation assays. BxPC-3 cells stably transfected to overexpress hK7 were used to examine the effect of hK7 on cell-surface resident Dsg2. The levels of immunoreactive Dsg1 and Dsg2 were reduced in pancreatic adenocarcinomas compared with both normal pancreatic and chronic pancreatitis tissues. Among the desmosomal proteins examined, Dsg2 exhibited robust expression on the surface of BxPC-3 cells. When hK7 was overexpressed in this cell line, there was a significant increase in the amount of soluble Dsg2 released into the culture medium compared with vector-transfected control cells. A reduction in the amount of the cell adhesion components Dsg1 and Dsg2 in pancreatic tumors suggests that loss of these desmosomal proteins may play a role in pancreatic cancer invasion. Using in vitro degradation assays, both Dsg1 and Dsg2 could be readily proteolyzed by hK7, which is overexpressed in pancreatic adenocarcinomas. The enforced expression of hK7 in BxPC-3 cells that express significant amounts of Dsg2 resulted in a marked increase in the shedding of soluble Dsg2, which is consistent with the notion that aberrant expression of hK7 in pancreatic tumors may result in diminished cell-cell adhesion and facilitate tumor cell invasion

  7. [High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for tumor pain relief in inoperable pancreatic cancer : Evaluation with the pain sensation scale (SES)].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marinova, M; Strunk, H M; Rauch, M; Henseler, J; Clarens, T; Brüx, L; Dolscheid-Pommerich, R; Conrad, R; Cuhls, H; Radbruch, L; Schild, H H; Mücke, M

    2017-02-01

    High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in combination with palliative standard therapy is an innovative and effective treatment option for pain reduction in patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer. Evaluation of the effects of additive ultrasound (US)-guided HIFU treatment in inoperable pancreatic cancer on the sensory and affective pain perception using validated questionnaries. In this study 20 patients with locally advanced inoperable pancreatic cancer and tumor-related pain were treated by US-guided HIFU (6 stage III, 12 stage IV according to UICC and 2 with local recurrence after surgery). Ablation was performed using the JC HIFU system (HAIFU, Chongqing, China) with an ultrasonic device for real-time imaging. Clinical assessment included evaluation of pain severity using validated questionnaires with particular attention to the pain sensation scale (SES) with its affective and sensory component and the numeric rating scale (NRS). The average pain reduction after HIFU was 2.87 points on the NRS scale and 57.3 % compared to the mean baseline score (n = 15, 75 %) in 19 of 20 treated patients. Four patients did not report pain relief, however, the previous opioid medication could be stopped (n = 2) or the analgesic dosage could be reduced (n = 2). No pain reduction was achieved in one patient. Furthermore, after HIFU emotional as well as sensory pain aspects were significantly reduced (before vs. 1 week after HIFU, p pain scales). US-guided HIFU can be used for effective and early pain relief and reduction of emotional and sensory pain sensation in patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer.

  8. BGLAP is expressed in pancreatic cancer cells and increases their growth and invasion

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Michalski Christoph W

    2007-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Bone gamma-carboxyglutamate protein (BGLAP; osteocalcin is a small, highly conserved molecule first identified in the mineralized matrix of bone. It has been implicated in the pathophysiology of various malignancies. In this study, we analyzed the expression and role of BGLAP in the normal human pancreas, chronic pancreatitis (CP, and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC using quantitative RT-PCR, immunohistochemistry, immunocytochemistry and enzyme immunoassays, as well as cell proliferation and invasion assays. Gene silencing was carried out using specific siRNA molecules. Results Compared to the normal pancreas, BGLAP mRNA and protein levels were not significantly different in CP and PDAC tissues. BGLAP was faintly present in the cytoplasm of normal acinar cells but was strongly expressed in the cytoplasm and nuclei of tubular complexes and PanIN lesions of CP and PDAC tissues. Furthermore, BGLAP expression was found in the cancer cells in PDAC tissues as well as in 4 cultured pancreatic cancer cell lines. TNFalpha reduced BGLAP mRNA and protein expression levels in pancreatic cancer cell lines. In addition, BGLAP silencing led to reduction of both cell growth and invasion in those cells. Conclusion BGLAP is expressed in pancreatic cancer cells, where it potentially increases pancreatic cancer cell growth and invasion through autocrine and/or paracrine mechanisms.

  9. Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in pancreatic cancer: an unsolved problem

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kato, Takashi; Fukatsu, Hiroshi; Ito, Kengo; Tadokoro, Masanori; Ota, Toyohiro; Ikeda, Mitsuru; Isomura, Takayuki; Ito, Shigeki; Nishino, Masanari; Ishigaki, Takeo

    1995-01-01

    The aim of this study was to examine the significance and problems of 2-[fluorine-18]-2-deoxy-d-glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in diagnosing pancreatic cancer and mass-forming pancreatitis (MFP). PET, X-ray computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging were performed in 15 patients with pancreatic cancer and nine patients with MFP. The areas of the PET scan were determined according to the markers drawn on the patients at CT or MR imaging. Regions of interests (ROIs) were placed by reference to the CT or MR images corresponding to the PET images. Tissue metabolism was evaluated by the differential absorption ratio (DAR) at 50 min after intravenous injection of FDG [DAR = tissue tracer concentration/(injected dose/body weight). The DAR value differed significantly in pancreatic cancer (mean±SD, 4.64±1.94) and MFP (mean±SD, 2.84±2.22) (P<0.05). In one false-negative case (mucinous adenocarcinoma), the tumour contained a small number of malignant cells. In one false-positive case, lymphocytes accumulated densely in the mass in the pancreatic head. Further studies are necessary to investigate the histopathological characteristics (especially the cellularity) and other factors affecting the FDG DAR on PET images. (orig.)

  10. Targeting of Pancreatic Cancer with Magneto-Fluorescent Theranostic Gold Nanoshells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Wenxue; Ayala-Orozco, Ciceron; Biswal, Nrusingh C.; Perez-Torres, Carlos; Bartels, Marc; Bardhan, Rizia; Stinnet, Gary; Liu, Xian-De; Ji, Baoan; Deorukhkar, Amit; Brown, Lisa V.; Guha, Sushovan; Pautler, Robia G.; Krishnan, Sunil; Halas, Naomi J; Joshi, Amit

    2014-01-01

    Aim We report a magneto-fluorescent theranostic nanocomplex targeted to neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NGAL) for imaging and therapy of pancreatic cancer. Materials and Methods Gold nanoshells resonant at 810 nm were encapsulated in silica epilayers doped with iron oxide and the NIR dye ICG, resulting in theranostic gold nanoshells (TGNS), which were subsequently conjugated with antibodies targeting NGAL in AsPC-1-derived xenografts in nude mice. Results AntiNGAL-conjugated TGNS specifically targeted pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo providing contrast for both NIR fluorescence and T2 weighted MR imaging with higher tumor contrast than can be obtained using long-circulating but non-targeted PEGylated nanoparticles. The nanocomplexes also enabled highly specific cancer cell death via NIR photothermal therapy in vitro. Conclusions Theranostic gold nanoshells with embedded NIR and MR contrasts can be specifically targeted to pancreatic cancer cells with expression of early disease marker NGAL, and enable molecularly targeted imaging and photothermal therapy. PMID:24063415

  11. Exosomes facilitate therapeutic targeting of oncogenic KRAS in pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kamerkar, Sushrut; LeBleu, Valerie S; Sugimoto, Hikaru; Yang, Sujuan; Ruivo, Carolina F; Melo, Sonia A; Lee, J Jack; Kalluri, Raghu

    2017-06-22

    The mutant form of the GTPase KRAS is a key driver of pancreatic cancer but remains a challenging therapeutic target. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles generated by all cells, and are naturally present in the blood. Here we show that enhanced retention of exosomes, compared to liposomes, in the circulation of mice is likely due to CD47-mediated protection of exosomes from phagocytosis by monocytes and macrophages. Exosomes derived from normal fibroblast-like mesenchymal cells were engineered to carry short interfering RNA or short hairpin RNA specific to oncogenic Kras G12D , a common mutation in pancreatic cancer. Compared to liposomes, the engineered exosomes (known as iExosomes) target oncogenic KRAS with an enhanced efficacy that is dependent on CD47, and is facilitated by macropinocytosis. Treatment with iExosomes suppressed cancer in multiple mouse models of pancreatic cancer and significantly increased overall survival. Our results demonstrate an approach for direct and specific targeting of oncogenic KRAS in tumours using iExosomes.

  12. MUC1 selectively targets human pancreatic cancer in orthotopic nude mouse models.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jeong Youp Park

    Full Text Available The goal of this study was to determine whether MUC1 antibody conjugated with a fluorophore could be used to visualize pancreatic cancer. Anti-MUC1 (CT2 antibody was conjugated with 550 nm or 650 nm fluorophores. Nude mouse were used to make subcutaneous and orthotopic models of pancreatic cancer. Western blot and flow cytometric analysis confirmed the expression of MUC1 in human pancreatic cancer cell lines including BxPC-3 and Panc-1. Immunocytochemistry with fluorophore conjugated anti-MUC1 antibody demonstrated fluorescent areas on the membrane of Panc-1 cancer cells. After injecting the conjugated anti-MUC1 antibodies via the tail vein, subcutaneously transplanted Panc-1 and BxPC-3 tumors emitted strong fluorescent signals. In the subcutaneous tumor models, the fluorescent signal from the conjugated anti-MUC1 antibody was noted around the margin of the tumor and space between the cells. The conjugated anti-MUC1 antibody bound the tumor in orthotopically-transplanted Panc-1 and BxPC-3 models enabling the tumors to be imaged. This study showed that fluorophore conjugated anti-MUC1 antibodies could visualize pancreatic tumors in vitro and in vivo and may help to improve the diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer.

  13. THE FREQUENCY OF RISK FACTORS ON TRENDS OF PANCREATIC CANCER IN KOSOVO

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramadani, Naser; Dedushi, Kreshnike; Muçaj, Sefedin; Kabashi, Serbeze; Jerliu, Naim; Hoxhaj, Astrit

    2016-01-01

    The aim: The aim of this paper is to analyze different factors that influence the trends of pancreatic cancer mortality and morbidity of patients treated at the UCCK of Kosovo. Within this study, we have evaluated pancreatic cancer risk factors, durability and lethality regarding Kosovan patients who have been diagnosed and treated within Kosovo. The study in question is that of retrospective research traversing the period of 2011-2015. Materials and methodology: This retrospective research study includes 362 patients recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, 2011-2015 at the University Clinical Center of Kosovo in Pristina. The main important factors included in this study are: age, sex and risk factors that altogether have considerable influence in incidence of pancreatic cancer. The imaging diagnostics are performed with the use of 2D ECHO Phillips, MSCT Sensation 64 and 6 and 1.5T MRI Symphony Siemens that are situated in the Radiologic Clinic of UCCK. The statistic data were obtained from NIPH of Kosovo and Agency of Statistics of Kosovo. Results: Out of the total number of the 362 patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, the mortality in all age groups was higher at male patients–61.6 % of cases (n=223) with the highest number found at 51–60 years age group. The 38.4 % (n= 139) were female patients with the highest incidence frequency at F 61–70 years age group. The F/M ratio is 1:1.6. The “plane” nicotine users were found at 34 % (n=123) while the joined, nicotine/alcohol addiction was detected at 26 % (n= 94). The 18.5% (n=67) have had established diagnose of the diabetes mellitus tip II and 9.6 % (n=35) have undergone the medical treatment of the gastroduodenal peptic ulcerations. The total number of deaths is 310 (85.6%) and there are only 52 patients (14.4%) still alive. The mortality rate of the pancreatic cancer in Kosovo was 17.2 in 100.000 residents while the morbidity rate was 2.8 in 100.000 residents. Discussion and conclusion: This

  14. THE FREQUENCY OF RISK FACTORS ON TRENDS OF PANCREATIC CANCER IN KOSOVO.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramadani, Naser; Dedushi, Kreshnike; Muçaj, Sefedin; Kabashi, Serbeze; Jerliu, Naim; Hoxhaj, Astrit

    2016-04-01

    The aim of this paper is to analyze different factors that influence the trends of pancreatic cancer mortality and morbidity of patients treated at the UCCK of Kosovo. Within this study, we have evaluated pancreatic cancer risk factors, durability and lethality regarding Kosovan patients who have been diagnosed and treated within Kosovo. The study in question is that of retrospective research traversing the period of 2011-2015. This retrospective research study includes 362 patients recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, 2011-2015 at the University Clinical Center of Kosovo in Pristina. The main important factors included in this study are: age, sex and risk factors that altogether have considerable influence in incidence of pancreatic cancer. The imaging diagnostics are performed with the use of 2D ECHO Phillips, MSCT Sensation 64 and 6 and 1.5T MRI Symphony Siemens that are situated in the Radiologic Clinic of UCCK. The statistic data were obtained from NIPH of Kosovo and Agency of Statistics of Kosovo. Out of the total number of the 362 patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, the mortality in all age groups was higher at male patients-61.6 % of cases (n=223) with the highest number found at 51-60 years age group. The 38.4 % (n= 139) were female patients with the highest incidence frequency at F 61-70 years age group. The F/M ratio is 1:1.6. The "plane" nicotine users were found at 34 % (n=123) while the joined, nicotine/alcohol addiction was detected at 26 % (n= 94). The 18.5% (n=67) have had established diagnose of the diabetes mellitus tip II and 9.6 % (n=35) have undergone the medical treatment of the gastroduodenal peptic ulcerations. The total number of deaths is 310 (85.6%) and there are only 52 patients (14.4%) still alive. The mortality rate of the pancreatic cancer in Kosovo was 17.2 in 100.000 residents while the morbidity rate was 2.8 in 100.000 residents. This retrospective research study intends to present the role of the risk factor, that

  15. NMDA receptors are important regulators of pancreatic cancer and are potential targets for treatment

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    North WG

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available William G North,1,2 Fuli Liu,1 Liz Z Lin,1 Ruiyang Tian,2 Bonnie Akerman1 1Department of Molecular and Systems Biology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College, 2Woomera Therapeutics Inc, Lebanon, NH, USA Abstract: Pancreatic cancer, particularly adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, is a common disease with a poor prognosis. In this study, the importance of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA receptors for the growth and survival of pancreatic cancer was investigated. Immunohistochemistry performed with antibodies against GluN1 and GluN2B revealed that all invasive adenocarcinoma and neuroendocrine pancreatic tumors likely express these two NMDA receptor proteins. These proteins were found to be membrane components of pancreatic cancer cell lines, and both channel-blocker antagonist and GluN2B antagonist significantly reduced cell viability in vitro. Both types of antagonists caused an internalization of the receptors. Dizocilpine maleate (MK-801 and ifenprodil hemitartrate both significantly inhibited the growth of pancreatic tumor xenografts in nu/nu mice. These findings predict that, as for other solid tumors investigated by us, pancreatic cancer could be successfully treated, alone or in combination, with NMDA receptor antagonists or other receptor-inhibiting blocking agents. Keywords: pancreatic cancer, NMDA receptors, inhibitors, potential therapy

  16. 3'-Deoxy-3'-{sup 18}F-fluorothymidine positron emission tomography as an early predictor of disease progression in patients with advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Challapalli, Amarnath; Barwick, Tara; Merchant, Shairoz [Imperial College London (ICL), Department of Surgery and Cancer, London (United Kingdom); Pearson, Rachel A.; Howell, Elizabeth C.; Maxwell, Ross J. [Newcastle University, Northern Institute for Cancer Research, Newcastle (United Kingdom); Mauri, Francesco [Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, Department of Pathology, London (United Kingdom); Sumpter, Katherine [Northern Centre for Cancer Care, Newcastle Upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, London (United Kingdom); Aboagye, Eric O. [Imperial College London (ICL), Department of Surgery and Cancer, London (United Kingdom); ICL, Hammersmith Hospital, Department of Surgery and Cancer, London (United Kingdom); Sharma, Rohini [ICL, Department of Investigative Medicine, London (United Kingdom)

    2015-05-01

    3'-Deoxy-3'-{sup 18}F-fluorothymidine (FLT) positron emission tomography (PET) has limited utility in abdominal imaging due to high physiological hepatic uptake of tracer. We evaluated FLT PET/CT combined with a temporal-intensity information-based voxel-clustering approach termed kinetic spatial filtering (FLT PET/CT{sub KSF}) for early prediction of response and survival outcomes in locally advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer patients receiving gemcitabine-based chemotherapy. Dynamic FLT PET/CT data were collected before and 3 weeks after the first cycle of chemotherapy. Changes in tumour FLT PET/CT variables were determined. The primary end point was RECIST 1.1 response on contrast-enhanced CT after 3 months of therapy. Twenty patients were included. Visual distinction between tumours and normal pancreas was seen in FLT PET{sub KSF} images. All target lesions (>2 cm), including all primary pancreatic tumours, were visualised. Of the 11 liver metastases, 3 (<2 cm) were not visible after kinetic filtering. Of the 20 patients, 7 progressed (35 %). Maximum standardised uptake value at 60 min post-injection (SUV{sub 60,max}) significantly increased in patients with disease progression (p = 0.04). Receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that a threshold of SUV{sub 60,max} increase of ≥ 12 % resulted in sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value (PPV) of 71, 100 and 100 %, respectively [area under the curve (AUC) 0.90, p = 0.0001], to predict patients with disease progression. Changes in SUV{sub 60,max} were not predictive of survival. FLT PET/CT detected changes in proliferation, with early increase in SUV{sub 60,max} predicting progressive disease with a high specificity and PPV. Therefore, FLT PET/CT could be used as an early response biomarker for gemcitabine-based chemotherapy, to select a poor prognostic group who may benefit from novel therapeutic agents in advanced and metastatic pancreatic cancer. (orig.)

  17. Coffee consumption and risk of gastric and pancreatic cancer--a prospective cohort study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bidel, Siamak; Hu, Gang; Jousilahti, Pekka; Pukkala, Eero; Hakulinen, Timo; Tuomilehto, Jaakko

    2013-04-01

    Only few prospective studies have examined the association between coffee consumption and risk of gastric and pancreatic cancer. This study is designed to evaluate this relationship among Finns, whose coffee consumption is the highest in the world. A total of 60,041 Finnish men and women who were 26-74 years of age and without history of any cancer at baseline were included in the present analyses. Coffee consumption and other study parameters were determined at baseline using standardized measurements. Participants were prospectively followed up for onset of gastric and/or pancreatic cancer, emigration, death or until June 30, 2006. During a mean follow-up period of 18 years, 299 cases of gastric cancer and 235 cases of pancreatic cancer were found. There was a nonsignificant inverse association between coffee consumption and risk of gastric cancer among men but not in the women. The multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio of stomach and pancreatic cancer incidence for ≥ 10 cups of coffee per day compared with nondrinkers were 0.75 (95% CI, 0.40-1.41) (P for trend = 0.19) and 0.82 (95% CI, 0.38-1.76) (P for trend = 0.95) for the combined population of men and women, respectively. We did not find a significant association between coffee consumption and the risk of gastric and/or pancreatic cancers. Copyright © 2012 UICC.

  18. Dietary fat intake and risk of pancreatic cancer in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arem, Hannah; Mayne, Susan T; Sampson, Joshua; Risch, Harvey; Stolzenberg-Solomon, Rachael Z

    2013-09-01

    Epidemiologic and experimental studies suggest that dietary fat intake may affect risk of pancreatic cancer, but published results are inconsistent. We examined risk associations for specific types of dietary fat intakes and related food sources among 111,416 participants in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial. We used Cox proportional hazards regression to examine associations between fat intake and pancreatic cancer risk. Over a mean 8.4 years of follow-up, 411 pancreatic cancer cases were identified. We observed an inverse association between saturated fat intake and pancreatic cancer risk (hazard ratio [HR], 0.64 comparing extreme quintiles; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.46-0.88), but the association became weaker and nonsignificant when individuals with fewer than 4 years of follow-up were excluded to avoid possible reverse causation (HR, 0.88; 95% CI, 0.58-1.33). Total fat intake showed a similar pattern of association, whereas intakes of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and fats from animal or plant sources showed no associations with risk. These results do not support the hypothesis of increased pancreatic cancer risk with higher fat consumption overall or by specific fat type or source. Dietary changes owing to undetected disease may explain the observed inverse association with saturated fat. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  19. Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D and risk of pancreatic cancer: Cohort Consortium Vitamin D Pooling Project of Rarer Cancers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Stolzenberg-Solomon, Rachael Z; Jacobs, Eric J; Arslan, Alan A; Qi, Dai; Patel, Alpa V; Helzlsouer, Kathy J; Weinstein, Stephanie J; McCullough, Marjorie L; Purdue, Mark P; Shu, Xiao-Ou; Snyder, Kirk; Virtamo, Jarmo; Wilkins, Lynn R; Yu, Kai; Zeleniuch-Jacquotte, Anne; Zheng, Wei; Albanes, Demetrius; Cai, Qiuyin; Harvey, Chinonye; Hayes, Richard; Clipp, Sandra; Horst, Ronald L; Irish, Lonn; Koenig, Karen; Le Marchand, Loic; Kolonel, Laurence N

    2010-07-01

    Results from epidemiologic studies examining pancreatic cancer risk and vitamin D intake or 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations (the best indicator of vitamin D derived from diet and sun) have been inconsistent. Therefore, the authors conducted a pooled nested case-control study of participants from 8 cohorts within the Cohort Consortium Vitamin D Pooling Project of Rarer Cancers (VDPP) (1974-2006) to evaluate whether prediagnostic circulating 25(OH)D concentrations were associated with the development of pancreatic cancer. In total, 952 incident pancreatic adenocarcinoma cases occurred among participants (median follow-up, 6.5 years). Controls (n = 1,333) were matched to each case by cohort, age, sex, race/ethnicity, date of blood draw, and follow-up time. Conditional logistic regression analysis was used to calculate smoking-, body mass index-, and diabetes-adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for pancreatic cancer. Clinically relevant 25(OH)D cutpoints were compared with a referent category of 50- or =100 nmol/L) was associated with a statistically significant 2-fold increase in pancreatic cancer risk overall (odds ratio = 2.12, 95% confidence interval: 1.23, 3.64). Given this result, recommendations to increase vitamin D concentrations in healthy persons for the prevention of cancer should be carefully considered.

  20. Apoptosis: Targets in Pancreatic Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kalthoff Holger

    2003-01-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is characterized by poor prognosis, because of late diagnosis and lack of response to chemo- and/or radiation therapies. Resistance to apoptosis mainly causes this insensitivity to conventional therapies. Apoptosis or programmed cell death is a central regulator of tissue homeostasis. Certain genetic disturbances of apoptotic signaling pathways have been found in carcinomas leading to tumor development and progression. In the past few years, the knowledge about the complex pathways of apoptosis has strongly increased and new therapeutic approaches based on this knowledge are being developed. This review will focus on the role of apoptotic proteins contributing to pancreatic cancer development and progression and will demonstrate possible targets to influence this deadly disease.

  1. Potential Applications of Nanotechnology for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Pancreatic Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Joshua eMcCarroll

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Despite improvements in our understanding of pancreatic cancer and the emerging concept of personalized medicine for the treatment of this disease, it is still the fourth most common cause of cancer death in the western world. It is established that pancreatic cancer is a highly heterogeneous disease with a complex tumor microenvironment. Indeed the extensive stroma surrounding the cancer cells has been shown to be important in promoting tumor growth and metastases, as well as sequestering chemotherapeutic agents consequently decreasing delivery to the tumor cells. Nanotechnology has come to the forefront in the areas of medical diagnostics, imaging, and therapeutic drug delivery. This review will focus on the potential applications of nanotechnology for diagnosis, imaging, and delivery of therapeutic agents for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

  2. Electroacupuncture treatment for pancreatic cancer pain: a randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Hao; Liu, Tang-Yi; Kuai, Le; Zhu, Ji; Wu, Cai-Jun; Liu, Lu-Ming

    2013-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is often accompanied by severe abdominal or back pain. It's the first study to evaluate the analgesic effect of electroacupuncture on pancreatic cancer pain. A randomized controlled trial compared electroacupuncture with control acupuncture using the placebo needle. Sixty patients with pancreatic cancer pain were randomly assigned to the electroacupuncture group (n = 30) and the placebo control group (n = 30). Patients were treated on Jiaji (Ex-B2) points T8-T12 bilaterally for 30 min once a day for 3 days. Pain intensity was assessed with numerical rated scales (NRS) before the treatment (Baseline), after 3 treatments, and 2 days follow-up. Baseline characteristics were similar in the two groups. After 3 treatment, pain intensity on NRS decreased compared with Baseline (-1.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] -1.46 to -1.87) in the electroacupuncture group; there was little change (-0.13, 95% CI 0.08 to -0.35) in control group; the difference between two groups was statistically significant (P electroacupuncture group compared with the control group (P Electroacupuncture was an effective treatment for relieving pancreatic cancer pain. Copyright © 2013 IAP and EPC. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  3. Solitary pancreatic metastasis from breast cancer: case report and review of literature

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Márcio Apodaca-Rueda

    2017-11-01

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT CONTEXT: Pancreatic metastases from primary malignant tumors at other sites are rare, constituting about 2% of the neoplasms that affect the pancreas. Pancreatic metastasis from breast cancer is extremely rare and difficult to diagnose, because its clinical and radiological presentation is similar to that of a primary pancreatic tumor. CASE REPORT: A 64-year-old female developed a lesion in the pancreatic tail 24 months after neoadjuvant therapy, surgery and adjuvant radiation therapy for right-side breast cancer (ductal carcinoma. She underwent distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy and left adrenalectomy, and presented an uneventful outcome. The immunohistochemical analysis on the surgical specimen suggested that the lesion originated from the breast. CONCLUSION: In cases of pancreatic lesions detected in patients with a previous history of breast neoplasm, the possibility of pancreatic metastasis should be carefully considered.

  4. Gemcitabine treatment causes resistance and malignancy of pancreatic cancer stem-like cells via induction of lncRNA HOTAIR

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Li; Dong, Ping; Wang, Weiguo; Huang, Mingquan; Tian, Bole

    2017-01-01

    Gemcitabine is the first-line chemotherapeutic agent for advanced adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, despite the high risk of chemoresistance as a major disadvantage. In the past few years, significant advances have been made in the field of pancreatic cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) and their critical roles in drug resistance, invasion and metastasis, which are tightly regulated by long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). The present study demonstrated that HOX antisense intergenic RNA (HOTAIR) is not different between the pancreatic cancer cell line PANC-1 and its enriched CSC sub-population. However, after gemcitabine treatment, the expression levels of HOTAIR in CSCs were induced, but not in PANC-1 cells. HOTAIR induced by gemcitabine failed to cause chemoresistance, but promoted the clonogenicity, proliferation and migration of the cells. By introducing HOTAIR using lentivirus, chemoresistance was induced and the self-renewal capacity, proliferation and migration were significantly promoted. By contrast, HOTAIR knockdown in PANC-1 CSCs treated with or without gemcitabine decreased the cell proliferation, altered the cell cycle progression and induced apoptosis, demonstrating its critical roles in regulating the malignant character of PANC-1 CSCs. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that HOTAIR may be induced by gemcitabine and acts as a tumor promoter by inhibiting the chemosensitivity, and promoting the self-renewal capacity, proliferation and migration of PANC-1 CSCs, which supports its potential application as a novel therapeutic approach for pancreatic cancer. PMID:29201179

  5. Physical activity and risk of pancreatic cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Behrens, Gundula; Jochem, Carmen; Schmid, Daniela; Keimling, Marlen; Ricci, Cristian; Leitzmann, Michael F

    2015-04-01

    Physical activity may prevent pancreatic cancer by regulating body weight and decreasing insulin resistance, DNA damage, and chronic inflammation. Previous meta-analyses found inconsistent evidence for a protective effect of physical activity on pancreatic cancer but those studies did not investigate whether the association between physical activity and pancreatic cancer varies by smoking status, body mass index (BMI), or level of consistency of physical activity over time. To address these issues, we conducted an updated meta-analysis following the PRISMA guidelines among 30 distinct studies with a total of 10,501 pancreatic cancer cases. Random effects meta-analysis of cohort studies revealed a weak, statistically significant reduction in pancreatic cancer risk for high versus low levels of physical activity (relative risk (RR) 0.93, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.88-0.98). By comparison, case-control studies yielded a stronger, statistically significant risk reduction (RR 0.78, 95 % CI 0.66-0.94; p-difference by study design = 0.07). When focusing on cohort studies, physical activity summary risk estimates appeared to be more pronounced for consistent physical activity over time (RR 0.86, 95 % CI 0.76-0.97) than for recent past physical activity (RR 0.95, 95 % CI 0.90-1.01) or distant past physical activity (RR 0.95, 95 % CI 0.79-1.15, p-difference by timing in life of physical activity = 0.36). Physical activity summary risk estimates did not differ by smoking status or BMI. In conclusion, physical activity is not strongly associated with pancreatic cancer risk, and the relation is not modified by smoking status or BMI level. While overall findings were weak, we did find some suggestion of potential pancreatic cancer risk reduction with consistent physical activity over time.

  6. Hedgehog Signaling Regulates Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Pancreatic Cancer Stem-Like Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Feng; Ma, Ling; Zhang, Zhengkui; Liu, Xiaoran; Gao, Hongqiao; Zhuang, Yan; Yang, Pei; Kornmann, Marko; Tian, Xiaodong; Yang, Yinmo

    2016-01-01

    Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is crucially involved in tumorigenesis. This study aimed to assess the role of Hh signaling in the regulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), stemness properties and chemoresistance of human pancreatic Panc-1 cancer stem cells (CSCs). Panc-1 cells were transfected with recombinant lentiviral vectors to silence SMO and serum-free floating-culture system was used to isolate Panc-1 tumorspheres. The expression of CSC and EMT markers was detected by flow cytometry, real-time RT-PCR and Western blot analysis. Malignant behaviors of Panc-1 CSC were evaluated by tumorigenicity assays and nude mouse lung metastasis model. We found that tumorspheres derived from pancreatic cancer cell line Panc-1 possessed self-renewal, differentiation and stemness properties. Hh pathway and EMT were active in Panc-1 tumorspheres. Inhibition of Hh signaling by SMO knockdown inhibited self-renewal, EMT, invasion, chemoresistance, pulmonary metastasis, tumorigenesis of pancreatic CSCs. In conclusion, Hh signaling contributes to the maintenance of stem-like properties and chemoresistance of pancreatic CSC and promotes the tumorigenesis and metastasis of pancreatic cancer. Hh pathway is a potential molecular target for the development of therapeutic strategies for pancreatic CSCs. PMID:26918054

  7. Targeted Alpha Therapy Approach to the Management of Pancreatic Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Allen, Barry J.; Abbas Rizvi, Syed M.; Qu, Chang F.; Smith, Ross C.

    2011-01-01

    Evidence for the efficacy of targeted alpha therapy for the control of pancreatic cancer in preclinical models is reviewed. Results are given for in vitro pancreatic cancer cells and clusters and micro-metastatic cancer lesions in vivo. Two complementary targeting vectors are examined. These are the C595 monoclonal antibody that targets the MUC1 antigen and the PAI2 ligand that targets the uPA receptor. The expression of the tumor-associated antigen MUC-1 and the uPA receptor on three pancreatic cancer cell lines is reported for cell clusters, human mouse xenografts and lymph node metastases, as well as for human pancreatic cancer tissues, using immuno-histochemistry, confocal microscopy and flow cytometry. The targeting vectors C595 and PAI2 were labeled with the alpha emitting radioisotope 213 Bi using the chelators cDTPA and CHX-A″ to form the alpha-conjugates (AC). Cell clusters were incubated with the AC and examined at 48 hours. Apoptosis was documented using the TUNEL assay. In vivo, the anti-proliferative effect for tumors was tested at two days post-subcutaneous cell inoculation. Mice were injected with different concentrations of AC by local or systemic administration. Changes in tumor progression were assessed by tumor size. MUC-1 and uPA are strongly expressed on CFPAC-1, PANC-1 and moderate expression was found CAPAN-1 cell clusters and tumor xenografts. The ACs can target pancreatic cells and regress cell clusters (∼100 μm diameter), causing apoptosis in some 70–90 % of cells. At two days post-cell inoculation in mice, a single local injection of 74 MBq/kg of AC causes complete inhibition of tumor growth. Systemic injections of 111, 222 and 333 MBq/kg of alpha-conjugate caused significant tumor growth delay in a dose dependent manner after 16 weeks, compared with the non-specific control at 333 MBq/kg. Cytotoxicity was assessed by the MTS and TUNEL assays. The C595 and PAI2-alpha conjugates are indicated for the treatment of micro

  8. PET in diagnosing exocrine pancreatic cancer; PET bei Tumoren des exokrinen Pankreas

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bares, R.; Besenfelder, H.; Dohmen, B.M. [Abt. Nuklearmedizin, Radiologische Klinik des Universitaetsklinikums Tuebingen (Germany)

    2003-06-01

    Despite dramatic improvements in diagnostic imaging (ultrasonography, in particular endoscopic ultrasound, CT, MRI) treatment results of pancreatic cancer are still poor. Due to the lack of early symptoms, most tumors are diagnosed at an advanced stage of disease which excludes curative surgical treatment. FDG-PET has been shown to be effective in detecting pancreatic cancer as well as differentiating benign from malignant pancreatic tumors. Results might be further improved by applying quantitative analyses, in particular kinetic modelling of FDG metabolism. Nevertheless false negative as well as false positive findings may occur. Small lesions (lymphnode or liver metastases < 1 cm) might be missed, furthermore hyperglycemia often present in patients with pancreatic disease might reduce tumor uptake and subsequently tumor detectability by PET. False positive findings were reported in active pancreatitis and some benign tumors. Although PET proved to be superior to CT or ERCP in detecting cancer, clinical relevance of PET is limited due to the absence of therapeutic consequences to be derived from PET. As a consequence PET should only be used in patients with equivocal findings of morphological imaging (CT, ERCP) who are potential candidates for surgical treatment. (orig.) [German] Trotz verbesserter diagnostischer Moeglichkeiten (endoskopischer Ultraschall, Spiral-CT, MRT) sind die Behandlungsergebnisse bei Tumoren des exokrinen Pankreas nach wie vor unbefriedigend. Aufgrund der spaet einsetzenden klinischen Symptomatik wird die Diagnose meist erst bei lokaler Inoperabilitaet gestellt. Die FDG-PET has sich sowohl im Nachweis von Pankreaskarzinomen als auch bei der Differenzialdiagnose pankreatischer Raumforderungen bewaehrt und den etablierten bildgebenden Verfahren (Ultraschall, CT) als ueberlegen erwiesen. Weitere Verbesserungen erscheinen durch absolute Quantifizierung der FDG-Kinetik moeglich. Dennoch koennen falsch negative wie auch falsch positive Ergebnisse

  9. Nutritional status and nutritional support before and after pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Karagianni, Vasiliki Th; Papalois, Apostolos E; Triantafillidis, John K

    2012-12-01

    Cachexia, malnutrition, significant weight loss, and reduction in food intake due to anorexia represent the most important pathophysiological consequences of pancreatic cancer. Pathophysiological consequences result also from pancreatectomy, the type and severity of which differ significantly and depend on the type of the operation performed. Nutritional intervention, either parenteral or enteral, needs to be seen as a method of support in pancreatic cancer patients aiming at the maintenance of the nutritional and functional status and the prevention or attenuation of cachexia. Oral nutrition could reduce complications while restoring quality of life. Enteral nutrition in the post-operative period could also reduce infective complications. The evidence for immune-enhanced feed in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy for pancreatic cancer is supported by the available clinical data. Nutritional support during the post-operative period on a cyclical basis is preferred because it is associated with low incidence of gastric stasis. Postoperative total parenteral nutrition is indicated only to those patients who are unable to be fed orally or enterally. Thus nutritional deficiency is a relatively widesoread and constant finding suggesting that we must optimise the nutritional status both before and after surgery.

  10. KIF20A-Mediated RNA Granule Transport System Promotes the Invasiveness of Pancreatic Cancer Cells

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Keisuke Taniuchi

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancers are aggressive because they are highly invasive and highly metastatic; moreover, effective treatments for aggressive pancreatic cancers are lacking. Here, we report that the motor kinesin protein KIF20A promoted the motility and invasiveness of pancreatic cancer cells through transporting the RNA-binding protein IGF2BP3 and IGF2BP3-bound transcripts toward cell protrusions along microtubules. We previously reported that IGF2BP3 and its target transcripts are assembled into cytoplasmic stress granules of pancreatic cancer cells, and that IGF2BP3 promotes the motility and invasiveness of pancreatic cancer cells through regulation of localized translation of IGF2BP3-bound transcripts in cell protrusions. We show that knockdown of KIF20A inhibited accumulation of IGF2BP3-containing stress granules in cell protrusions and suppressed local protein expression from specific IGF2BP3-bound transcripts, ARF6 and ARHGEF4, in the protrusions. Our results provide insight into the link between regulation of KIF20A-mediated trafficking of IGF2BP3-containing stress granules and modulation of the motility and invasiveness in pancreatic cancers.

  11. A Phase II Study of Fixed-Dose Rate Gemcitabine Plus Low-Dose Cisplatin Followed by Consolidative Chemoradiation for Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ko, Andrew H.; Quivey, Jeanne M.; Venook, Alan P.; Bergsland, Emily K.; Dito, Elizabeth R.N.; Schillinger, Brian R.N.; Tempero, Margaret A.

    2007-01-01

    Purpose: The optimal strategy for treating locally advanced pancreatic cancer remains controversial, including the respective roles and timing of chemotherapy and radiation. We conducted a Phase II nonrandomized trial to evaluate sequential chemotherapy followed by chemoradiation in this patient population. Methods and Materials: Chemotherapy naive patients with locally advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma were treated with fixed-dose rate gemcitabine (1,000 mg/m 2 at 10 mg/m 2 /min) plus cisplatin 20 mg/m 2 on Days 1 and 15 of a 28-day cycle. Those without evidence of extrapancreatic metastases after six cycles of chemotherapy received radiation (5,040 cGy over 28 fractions) with concurrent capecitabine (800 mg/m 2 orally twice daily on the day of radiation) as a radiosensitizer. Results: A total of 25 patients were enrolled with a median follow-up time of 656 days. Twelve patients (48%) successfully received all six cycles of chemotherapy plus chemoradiation. Eight patients (32%) progressed during chemotherapy, including 7 with extrapancreatic metastases. Grade 3/4 hematologic toxicities were uncommon. Two patients sustained myocardial infarctions during chemotherapy, and 4 were hospitalized for infectious complications, although none in the setting of neutropenia. Median time to progression was 10.5 months and median survival was 13.5 months, with an estimated 1-year survival rate of 62%. Patients receiving all components of therapy had a median survival of 17.0 months. Conclusions: A strategy of initial fixed-dose rate gemcitabine-based chemotherapy, followed by chemoradiation, shows promising efficacy for treatment of locally advanced disease. A substantial proportion of patients will be identified early on as having extrapancreatic disease and spared the potential toxicities associated with radiation

  12. The Ever-Evolving Concept of the Cancer Stem Cell in Pancreatic Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sandra Valle

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC, the most common type of pancreatic cancer, is the 4th most frequent cause of cancer-related death worldwide, primarily due to the inherent chemoresistant nature and metastatic capacity of this tumor. The latter is believed to be mainly due to the existence of a subpopulation of highly plastic “stem”-like cells within the tumor, known as cancer stem cells (CSCs, which have been shown to have unique metabolic, autophagic, invasive, and chemoresistance properties that allow them to continuously self-renew and escape chemo-therapeutic elimination. As such, current treatments for the majority of PDAC patients are not effective and do not significantly impact overall patient survival (<7 months as they do not affect the pancreatic CSC (PaCSC population. In this context, it is important to highlight the need to better understand the characteristics of the PaCSC population in order to develop new therapies to target these cells. In this review, we will provide the latest updates and knowledge on the inherent characteristics of PaCSCs, particularly their unique biological properties including chemoresistance, epithelial to mesenchymal transition, plasticity, metabolism and autophagy.

  13. Comprehensive Evaluation of Altered Systemic Metabolism and Pancreatic Cancer Risk

    Science.gov (United States)

    2015-10-01

    09/08/15-08/31/19 0.96 cal. mo. NIH/NCI $168,300 A prospective investigation of the oral microbiome and pancreatic cancer 1.To perform a...and BWHS. 2.To evaluate racial differences in the oral microbiome using 165 AA and 165 EA controls (from the SCCS only), and to identify any racial...risk factors for pancreatic cancer (cigarette smoking, obesity, red meat and processed meat consumption, alcohol consumption, type 2 diabetes) and oral

  14. Whole genomes redefine the mutational landscape of pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waddell, Nicola; Pajic, Marina; Patch, Ann-Marie; Chang, David K; Kassahn, Karin S; Bailey, Peter; Johns, Amber L; Miller, David; Nones, Katia; Quek, Kelly; Quinn, Michael C J; Robertson, Alan J; Fadlullah, Muhammad Z H; Bruxner, Tim J C; Christ, Angelika N; Harliwong, Ivon; Idrisoglu, Senel; Manning, Suzanne; Nourse, Craig; Nourbakhsh, Ehsan; Wani, Shivangi; Wilson, Peter J; Markham, Emma; Cloonan, Nicole; Anderson, Matthew J; Fink, J Lynn; Holmes, Oliver; Kazakoff, Stephen H; Leonard, Conrad; Newell, Felicity; Poudel, Barsha; Song, Sarah; Taylor, Darrin; Waddell, Nick; Wood, Scott; Xu, Qinying; Wu, Jianmin; Pinese, Mark; Cowley, Mark J; Lee, Hong C; Jones, Marc D; Nagrial, Adnan M; Humphris, Jeremy; Chantrill, Lorraine A; Chin, Venessa; Steinmann, Angela M; Mawson, Amanda; Humphrey, Emily S; Colvin, Emily K; Chou, Angela; Scarlett, Christopher J; Pinho, Andreia V; Giry-Laterriere, Marc; Rooman, Ilse; Samra, Jaswinder S; Kench, James G; Pettitt, Jessica A; Merrett, Neil D; Toon, Christopher; Epari, Krishna; Nguyen, Nam Q; Barbour, Andrew; Zeps, Nikolajs; Jamieson, Nigel B; Graham, Janet S; Niclou, Simone P; Bjerkvig, Rolf; Grützmann, Robert; Aust, Daniela; Hruban, Ralph H; Maitra, Anirban; Iacobuzio-Donahue, Christine A; Wolfgang, Christopher L; Morgan, Richard A; Lawlor, Rita T; Corbo, Vincenzo; Bassi, Claudio; Falconi, Massimo; Zamboni, Giuseppe; Tortora, Giampaolo; Tempero, Margaret A; Gill, Anthony J; Eshleman, James R; Pilarsky, Christian; Scarpa, Aldo; Musgrove, Elizabeth A; Pearson, John V; Biankin, Andrew V; Grimmond, Sean M

    2015-02-26

    Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most lethal of malignancies and a major health burden. We performed whole-genome sequencing and copy number variation (CNV) analysis of 100 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs). Chromosomal rearrangements leading to gene disruption were prevalent, affecting genes known to be important in pancreatic cancer (TP53, SMAD4, CDKN2A, ARID1A and ROBO2) and new candidate drivers of pancreatic carcinogenesis (KDM6A and PREX2). Patterns of structural variation (variation in chromosomal structure) classified PDACs into 4 subtypes with potential clinical utility: the subtypes were termed stable, locally rearranged, scattered and unstable. A significant proportion harboured focal amplifications, many of which contained druggable oncogenes (ERBB2, MET, FGFR1, CDK6, PIK3R3 and PIK3CA), but at low individual patient prevalence. Genomic instability co-segregated with inactivation of DNA maintenance genes (BRCA1, BRCA2 or PALB2) and a mutational signature of DNA damage repair deficiency. Of 8 patients who received platinum therapy, 4 of 5 individuals with these measures of defective DNA maintenance responded.

  15. Whole genomes redefine the mutational landscape of pancreatic cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Waddell, Nicola; Pajic, Marina; Patch, Ann-Marie; Chang, David K.; Kassahn, Karin S.; Bailey, Peter; Johns, Amber L.; Miller, David; Nones, Katia; Quek, Kelly; Quinn, Michael C. J.; Robertson, Alan J.; Fadlullah, Muhammad Z. H.; Bruxner, Tim J. C.; Christ, Angelika N.; Harliwong, Ivon; Idrisoglu, Senel; Manning, Suzanne; Nourse, Craig; Nourbakhsh, Ehsan; Wani, Shivangi; Wilson, Peter J; Markham, Emma; Cloonan, Nicole; Anderson, Matthew J.; Fink, J. Lynn; Holmes, Oliver; Kazakoff, Stephen H.; Leonard, Conrad; Newell, Felicity; Poudel, Barsha; Song, Sarah; Taylor, Darrin; Waddell, Nick; Wood, Scott; Xu, Qinying; Wu, Jianmin; Pinese, Mark; Cowley, Mark J.; Lee, Hong C.; Jones, Marc D.; Nagrial, Adnan M.; Humphris, Jeremy; Chantrill, Lorraine A.; Chin, Venessa; Steinmann, Angela M.; Mawson, Amanda; Humphrey, Emily S.; Colvin, Emily K.; Chou, Angela; Scarlett, Christopher J.; Pinho, Andreia V.; Giry-Laterriere, Marc; Rooman, Ilse; Samra, Jaswinder S.; Kench, James G.; Pettitt, Jessica A.; Merrett, Neil D.; Toon, Christopher; Epari, Krishna; Nguyen, Nam Q.; Barbour, Andrew; Zeps, Nikolajs; Jamieson, Nigel B.; Graham, Janet S.; Niclou, Simone P.; Bjerkvig, Rolf; Grützmann, Robert; Aust, Daniela; Hruban, Ralph H.; Maitra, Anirban; Iacobuzio-Donahue, Christine A.; Wolfgang, Christopher L.; Morgan, Richard A.; Lawlor, Rita T.; Corbo, Vincenzo; Bassi, Claudio; Falconi, Massimo; Zamboni, Giuseppe; Tortora, Giampaolo; Tempero, Margaret A.; Gill, Anthony J.; Eshleman, James R.; Pilarsky, Christian; Scarpa, Aldo; Musgrove, Elizabeth A.; Pearson, John V.; Biankin, Andrew V.; Grimmond, Sean M.

    2015-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer remains one of the most lethal of malignancies and a major health burden. We performed whole-genome sequencing and copy number variation (CNV) analysis of 100 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs). Chromosomal rearrangements leading to gene disruption were prevalent, affecting genes known to be important in pancreatic cancer (TP53, SMAD4, CDKN2A, ARID1A and ROBO2) and new candidate drivers of pancreatic carcinogenesis (KDM6A and PREX2). Patterns of structural variation (variation in chromosomal structure) classified PDACs into 4 subtypes with potential clinical utility: the subtypes were termed stable, locally rearranged, scattered and unstable. A significant proportion harboured focal amplifications, many of which contained druggable oncogenes (ERBB2, MET, FGFR1, CDK6, PIK3R3 and PIK3CA), but at low individual patient prevalence. Genomic instability co-segregated with inactivation of DNA maintenance genes (BRCA1, BRCA2 or PALB2) and a mutational signature of DNA damage repair deficiency. Of 8 patients who received platinum therapy, 4 of 5 individuals with these measures of defective DNA maintenance responded. PMID:25719666

  16. CD166/ALCAM expression is characteristic of tumorigenicity and invasive and migratory activities of pancreatic cancer cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kenji Fujiwara

    Full Text Available CD166, also known as activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM, is expressed by various cells in several tissues including cancer. However, the role of CD166 in malignant tumors is controversial, especially in pancreatic cancer. This study aimed to clarify the role and significance of CD166 expression in pancreatic cancer.We performed immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry to analyze the expression of CD166 in surgical pancreatic tissues and pancreatic cancer cell lines. The differences between isolated CD166+ and CD166- pancreatic cancer cells were analyzed by invasion and migration assays, and in mouse xenograft models. We also performed quantitative RT-PCR and microarray analyses to evaluate the expression levels of CD166 and related genes in cultured cells.Immunohistochemistry revealed high expression of CD166 in pancreatic cancer tissues (12.2%; 12/98 compared with that in normal pancreas controls (0%; 0/17 (p = 0.0435. Flow cytometry indicated that CD166 was expressed in 33.8-70.2% of cells in surgical pancreatic tissues and 0-99.5% of pancreatic cancer cell lines. Invasion and migration assays demonstrated that CD166- pancreatic cancer cells showed stronger invasive and migratory activities than those of CD166+ cancer cells (p<0.05. On the other hand, CD166+ Panc-1 cells showed a significantly stronger colony formation activity than that of CD166- Panc-1 cells (p<0.05. In vivo analysis revealed that CD166+ cells elicited significantly greater tumor growth than that of CD166- cells (p<0.05 in both subcutaneous and orthotopic mouse tumor models. mRNA expression of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition activator Zeb1 was over-expressed in CD166- cells (p<0.001. Microarray analysis showed that TSPAN8 and BST2 were over-expressed in CD166+ cells, while BMP7 and Col6A1 were over-expressed in CD166- cells.CD166+ pancreatic cancer cells are strongly tumorigenic, while CD166- pancreatic cancer cells exhibit comparatively stronger

  17. Laparoscopic versus open distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Riviere, D.M.; Gurusamy, K.S.; Kooby, D.A.; Vollmer, C.M.; Besselink, M.G.; Davidson, B.R.; Laarhoven, C.J.H.M. van

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Surgical resection is currently the only treatment with the potential for long-term survival and cure of pancreatic cancer. Surgical resection is provided as distal pancreatectomy for cancers of the body and tail of the pancreas. It can be performed by laparoscopic or open surgery. In

  18. The Genetics and Molecular Alterations of Pancreatic Cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Wilde, R.F. de

    2015-01-01

    The prospect that pancreatic cancer will be the second most common cause of cancer death by 2030 is worrisome. Considering that the approximate 6% overall 5-year survival has not merely changed in the past decades illustrates the need to revert the bleak prognosis. Centralization of surgery

  19. Mortality, Cancer, and Comorbidities Associated With Chronic Pancreatitis

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bang, Ulrich Christian; Benfield, Thomas; Hyldstrup, Lars

    2014-01-01

    BACKGROUND & AIMS: We aimed to assess the risk of death, cancer, and comorbidities among patients with alcoholic and nonalcoholic chronic pancreatitis (CP). METHODS: We performed a nationwide retrospective cohort study, collecting data from Danish registries from 1995 through 2010. We evaluated...... cases (10.2%) and controls (3.3%). Cancer (particularly pancreatic cancer) was a frequent cause of death among cases; the HR was 6.9 (95% CI, 7.5-11.8). Alcoholic CP did not produce a higher risk for cancer or death than nonalcoholic CP. Cerebrovascular disease (HR, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.2-1.4), chronic...... pulmonary disease (HR, 1.9; 95% CI, 1.8-2.1), ulcer disease (HR, 3.6; 95% CI, 3.3-3.9), diabetes (HR, 5.2; 95% CI, 5.0-5.6), and chronic renal disease (HR, 1.7; 95% CI, 1.5-1.9) occurred more frequently among patients with CP, but myocardial infarction did not (HR, 0.9; 95% CI, 0.8-1.0). CONCLUSIONS: Based...

  20. Genomic analyses identify molecular subtypes of pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bailey, Peter; Chang, David K; Nones, Katia; Johns, Amber L; Patch, Ann-Marie; Gingras, Marie-Claude; Miller, David K; Christ, Angelika N; Bruxner, Tim J C; Quinn, Michael C; Nourse, Craig; Murtaugh, L Charles; Harliwong, Ivon; Idrisoglu, Senel; Manning, Suzanne; Nourbakhsh, Ehsan; Wani, Shivangi; Fink, Lynn; Holmes, Oliver; Chin, Venessa; Anderson, Matthew J; Kazakoff, Stephen; Leonard, Conrad; Newell, Felicity; Waddell, Nick; Wood, Scott; Xu, Qinying; Wilson, Peter J; Cloonan, Nicole; Kassahn, Karin S; Taylor, Darrin; Quek, Kelly; Robertson, Alan; Pantano, Lorena; Mincarelli, Laura; Sanchez, Luis N; Evers, Lisa; Wu, Jianmin; Pinese, Mark; Cowley, Mark J; Jones, Marc D; Colvin, Emily K; Nagrial, Adnan M; Humphrey, Emily S; Chantrill, Lorraine A; Mawson, Amanda; Humphris, Jeremy; Chou, Angela; Pajic, Marina; Scarlett, Christopher J; Pinho, Andreia V; Giry-Laterriere, Marc; Rooman, Ilse; Samra, Jaswinder S; Kench, James G; Lovell, Jessica A; Merrett, Neil D; Toon, Christopher W; Epari, Krishna; Nguyen, Nam Q; Barbour, Andrew; Zeps, Nikolajs; Moran-Jones, Kim; Jamieson, Nigel B; Graham, Janet S; Duthie, Fraser; Oien, Karin; Hair, Jane; Grützmann, Robert; Maitra, Anirban; Iacobuzio-Donahue, Christine A; Wolfgang, Christopher L; Morgan, Richard A; Lawlor, Rita T; Corbo, Vincenzo; Bassi, Claudio; Rusev, Borislav; Capelli, Paola; Salvia, Roberto; Tortora, Giampaolo; Mukhopadhyay, Debabrata; Petersen, Gloria M; Munzy, Donna M; Fisher, William E; Karim, Saadia A; Eshleman, James R; Hruban, Ralph H; Pilarsky, Christian; Morton, Jennifer P; Sansom, Owen J; Scarpa, Aldo; Musgrove, Elizabeth A; Bailey, Ulla-Maja Hagbo; Hofmann, Oliver; Sutherland, Robert L; Wheeler, David A; Gill, Anthony J; Gibbs, Richard A; Pearson, John V; Waddell, Nicola; Biankin, Andrew V; Grimmond, Sean M

    2016-03-03

    Integrated genomic analysis of 456 pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas identified 32 recurrently mutated genes that aggregate into 10 pathways: KRAS, TGF-β, WNT, NOTCH, ROBO/SLIT signalling, G1/S transition, SWI-SNF, chromatin modification, DNA repair and RNA processing. Expression analysis defined 4 subtypes: (1) squamous; (2) pancreatic progenitor; (3) immunogenic; and (4) aberrantly differentiated endocrine exocrine (ADEX) that correlate with histopathological characteristics. Squamous tumours are enriched for TP53 and KDM6A mutations, upregulation of the TP63∆N transcriptional network, hypermethylation of pancreatic endodermal cell-fate determining genes and have a poor prognosis. Pancreatic progenitor tumours preferentially express genes involved in early pancreatic development (FOXA2/3, PDX1 and MNX1). ADEX tumours displayed upregulation of genes that regulate networks involved in KRAS activation, exocrine (NR5A2 and RBPJL), and endocrine differentiation (NEUROD1 and NKX2-2). Immunogenic tumours contained upregulated immune networks including pathways involved in acquired immune suppression. These data infer differences in the molecular evolution of pancreatic cancer subtypes and identify opportunities for therapeutic development.

  1. The association between dietary zinc intake and risk of pancreatic cancer: a meta-analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Li; Gai, Xuesong

    2017-06-30

    Previous reports have suggested a potential association on dietary zinc intake with the risk of pancreatic cancer. Since the associations between different studies were controversial, we therefore conducted a meta-analysis to reassess the relationship between dietary zinc intake and pancreatic cancer risk. A comprehensive search from the databases of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Medline was performed until January 31, 2017. Relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) derived by using random effect model was used. Sensitivity analysis and publication bias were conducted. Our meta-analysis was based on seven studies involving 1659 cases, including two prospective cohort studies and five case-control studies. The total RR of pancreatic cancer risk for the highest versus the lowest categories of dietary zinc intake was 0.798 (0.621-0.984), with its significant heterogeneity among studies ( I 2 =58.2%, P =0.026). The average Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS) score was 7.29, suggesting a high quality. There was no publication bias in the meta-analysis about dietary zinc intake on the risk of pancreatic cancer. Subgroup analyses showed that dietary zinc intake could reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer in case-control studies and among American populations. In conclusion, we found that highest category of dietary zinc intake can significantly reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer, especially among American populations. © 2017 The Author(s).

  2. Classification of premalignant pancreatic cancer mass-spectrometry data using decision tree ensembles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Wong G William

    2008-06-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Consequently, identification of clinically relevant biomarkers for the early detection of this cancer type is urgently needed. In recent years, proteomics profiling techniques combined with various data analysis methods have been successfully used to gain critical insights into processes and mechanisms underlying pathologic conditions, particularly as they relate to cancer. However, the high dimensionality of proteomics data combined with their relatively small sample sizes poses a significant challenge to current data mining methodology where many of the standard methods cannot be applied directly. Here, we propose a novel methodological framework using machine learning method, in which decision tree based classifier ensembles coupled with feature selection methods, is applied to proteomics data generated from premalignant pancreatic cancer. Results This study explores the utility of three different feature selection schemas (Student t test, Wilcoxon rank sum test and genetic algorithm to reduce the high dimensionality of a pancreatic cancer proteomic dataset. Using the top features selected from each method, we compared the prediction performances of a single decision tree algorithm C4.5 with six different decision-tree based classifier ensembles (Random forest, Stacked generalization, Bagging, Adaboost, Logitboost and Multiboost. We show that ensemble classifiers always outperform single decision tree classifier in having greater accuracies and smaller prediction errors when applied to a pancreatic cancer proteomics dataset. Conclusion In our cross validation framework, classifier ensembles generally have better classification accuracies compared to that of a single decision tree when applied to a pancreatic cancer proteomic dataset, thus suggesting its utility in future proteomics data analysis. Additionally, the use of feature selection

  3. IGF1 Receptor Targeted Theranostic Nanoparticles for Targeted and Image-Guided Therapy of Pancreatic Cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhou, Hongyu; Qian, Weiping; Uckun, Fatih M; Wang, Liya; Wang, Y Andrew; Chen, Hongyu; Kooby, David; Yu, Qian; Lipowska, Malgorzata; Staley, Charles A; Mao, Hui; Yang, Lily

    2015-08-25

    Overcoming resistance to chemotherapy is a major and unmet medical challenge in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Poor drug delivery due to stromal barriers in the tumor microenvironment and aggressive tumor biology are additional impediments toward a more successful treatment of pancreatic cancer. In attempts to address these challenges, we developed IGF1 receptor (IGF1R)-directed, multifunctional theranostic nanoparticles for targeted delivery of therapeutic agents into IGF1R-expressing drug-resistant tumor cells and tumor-associated stromal cells. These nanoparticles were prepared by conjugating recombinant human IGF1 to magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) carrying the anthracycline doxorubicin (Dox) as the chemotherapeutic payload. Intravenously administered IGF1-IONPs exhibited excellent tumor targeting and penetration in an orthotopic patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model of pancreatic cancer featuring enriched tumor stroma and heterogeneous cancer cells. IGF1R-targeted therapy using the theranostic IGF1-IONP-Dox significantly inhibited the growth of pancreatic PDX tumors. The effects of the intratumoral nanoparticle delivery and therapeutic responses in the orthotopic pancreatic PDX tumors could be detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with IONP-induced contrasts. Histological analysis showed that IGF1R-targeted delivery of Dox significantly inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptotic cell death of pancreatic cancer cells. Therefore, further development of IGF1R-targeted theranostic IONPs and MRI-guided cancer therapy as a precision nanomedicine may provide the basis for more effective treatment of pancreatic cancer.

  4. Diagnosis of pancreatic cancer using fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET). Usefulness and limitations in clinical reality''

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Higashi, Tatsuya; Saga, Tsuneo; Ishimori, Takayoshi; Fujimoto, Koji; Doi, Ryuichiro; Imamura, Masayuki; Konishi, Junji

    2003-01-01

    The present review will provide an overview of the literature concerning the FDG PET diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and a summary from our experience of 231 cases of pancreatic lesions. FDG PET can effectively differentiate pancreatic cancer from benign lesion with high accuracy. Newly-developed PET scanners can detect small pancreatic cancers, up to 7 mm in diameter, by their high resolution, which could make a great contribution to the early detection of resectable and potentially curable pancreatic cancers. FDG PET is useful and cost-beneficial in the pre-operative staging of pancreatic cancer because an unexpected distant metastasis can be detected by whole-body PET in about 40% of the cases, which results in avoidance of unnecessary surgical procedures. FDG PET is also useful in evaluation of the treatment effect, monitoring after the operation and detection of recurrent pancreatic cancers. However, there are some drawbacks in PET diagnosis. A relatively wide overlap has been reported between semiquantitative uptake values obtained in cancers and those in inflammatory lesions. As for false-positive cases, active and chronic pancreatitis and autoimmune pancreatitis sometimes show high FDG accumulation and mimic pancreatic cancer with a shape of focal uptake. There were 8 false negative cases in the detection of pancreatic cancer by FDG PET, up to 33 mm in diameter, mainly because of their poor cellularity in cancer tissues. In addition, there are 19% of cancer cases with a decline in FDG uptake from 1 hr to 2 hr scan. FDG PET was recently applied to and was shown to be feasible in the differential diagnosis of cystic pancreatic lesions, such as intraductal papillary mucinous tumor of the pancreas. Further investigations are required to clarify the clinical value of FDG PET in predicting prognosis of the pancreatic patients. (author) 124 refs

  5. Minimally invasive radical pancreatectomy for left-sided pancreatic cancer: Current status and future perspectives

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kang, Chang Moo; Lee, Sung Hwan; Lee, Woo Jung

    2014-01-01

    Minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy with splenectomy has been regarded as a safe and effective treatment for benign and borderline malignant pancreatic lesions. However, its application for left-sided pancreatic cancer is still being debated. The clinical evidence for radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (RAMPS)-based minimally invasive approaches for left-sided pancreatic cancer was reviewed. Potential indications and surgical concepts for minimally invasive RAMPS were suggested. Despite the limited clinical evidence for minimally invasive distal pancreatectomy in left-sided pancreatic cancer, the currently available clinical evidence supports the use of laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy under oncologic principles in well-selected left sided pancreatic cancers. A pancreas-confined tumor with an intact fascia layer between the pancreas and left adrenal gland/kidney positioned more than 1 or 2 cm away from the celiac axis is thought to constitute a good condition for the use of margin-negative minimally invasive RAMPS. The use of minimally invasive (laparoscopic or robotic) anterior RAMPS is feasible and safe for margin-negative resection in well-selected left-sided pancreatic cancer. The oncologic feasibility of the procedure remains to be determined; however, the currently available interim results indicate that even oncologic outcomes will not be inferior to those of open radical distal pancreatosplenectomy. PMID:24605031

  6. Tissue Transglutaminase (TG2)-Induced Inflammation in Initiation, Progression, and Pathogenesis of Pancreatic Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mehta, Kapil, E-mail: kmehta@mdanderson.org; Han, Amy [Department of Experimental Therapeutics, The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030 (United States); Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030 (United States)

    2011-02-25

    Pancreatic cancer (PC) is among the deadliest cancers, with a median survival of six months. It is generally believed that infiltrating PC arises through the progression of early grade pancreatic intraepithelial lesions (PanINs). In one model of the disease, the K-ras mutation is an early molecular event during progression of pancreatic cancer; it is followed by the accumulation of additional genetic abnormalities. This model has been supported by animal studies in which activated K-ras and p53 mutations produced metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma in mice. According to this model, oncogenic K-ras induces PanIN formation but fails to promote the invasive stage. However, when these mice are subjected to caerulein treatment, which induces a chronic pancreatitis-like state and inflammatory response, PanINs rapidly progress to invasive carcinoma. These results are consistent with epidemiologic studies showing that patients with chronic pancreatitis have a much higher risk of developing PC. In line with these observations, recent studies have revealed elevated expression of the pro-inflammatory protein tissue transglutaminase (TG2) in early PanINs, and its expression increases even more as the disease progresses. In this review we discuss the implications of increased TG2 expression in initiation, progression, and pathogenesis of pancreatic cancer.

  7. Effect of Protein Hydrolysates on Pancreatic Cancer Cells

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Ossum, Carlo G.; Andersen, Lisa Lystbæk; Nielsen, Henrik Hauch

    Effect of Fish Protein Hydrolysates on Pancreatic Cancer Cells Carlo G. Ossum1, Lisa Lystbæk Andersen2, Henrik Hauch Nielsen2, Else K. Hoffmann1, and Flemming Jessen2 1University of Copenhagen, Department of Biology, Denmark, 2Technical University of Denmark (DTU), National Food Institute, Denmark...... hydrolysates obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis on cancer cell proliferation. Skin and belly flap muscle from trout were hydrolysed with the unspecific proteases Alcalase, Neutrase, or UE1 (all from Novozymes, Bagsværd, Denmark) to a hydrolysis degree of 1-15%. The hydrolysates were tested for biological...... activities affecting cell proliferation and ability to modulate caspase activity in pancreatic cancer cells COLO357 and BxPC-3 in vitro. A number of the hydrolysates showed caspase promoting activity; in particular products containing muscle tissue, i.e. belly flap, were able to stimulate caspase activity...

  8. Perspectives of newly diagnosed advanced cancer patients receiving dignity therapy during cancer treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dose, Ann Marie; Rhudy, Lori M

    2018-01-01

    Dignity therapy is a psychosocial intervention that has been used primarily at the end of life to improve quality of life and other patient outcomes, but many individuals are unable to complete it due to health decline and death. The purpose of this study was to identify what individuals with advanced pancreatic or lung cancer with limited life expectancy, undergoing active cancer treatment describe during the dignity therapy intervention as important to them when not immediately facing end of life. Twenty patients undergoing chemotherapy for advanced cancer participated in a dignity therapy intervention study. Initial interviews were analyzed using descriptive content analysis. Family provided the overall context and background for emerging themes of defining events, accomplishments, and God's plan, which led to lessons learned, and resulted in messages of hope. Interviews were often autobiographical in nature and contained much reminiscence, consistent with dignity therapy's intent. Few participants spoke about their cancer diagnoses during the interview. This study adds unique insight into the use of dignity therapy for those still receiving active cancer treatment, different from work by others in which it was offered only at end of life. As part of supportive care, clinicians need to validate the importance of family to those with advanced cancer and to provide opportunities for patients to share what they have learned throughout life and to impart messages of hope to those closest to them.

  9. Stereotactic body radiotherapy for renal cell cancer and pancreatic cancer. Literature review and practice recommendations of the DEGRO Working Group on Stereotactic Radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Panje, Cedric; Andratschke, Nikolaus; Guckenberger, Matthias; Brunner, Thomas B.; Niyazi, Maximilian

    2016-01-01

    This report of the Working Group on Stereotactic Radiotherapy of the German Society of Radiation Oncology (DEGRO) aims to provide a literature review and practice recommendations for stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) of primary renal cell cancer and primary pancreatic cancer. A literature search on SBRT for both renal cancer and pancreatic cancer was performed with focus on prospective trials and technical aspects for clinical implementation. Data on renal and pancreatic SBRT are limited, but show promising rates of local control for both treatment sites. For pancreatic cancer, fractionated SBRT should be preferred to single-dose treatment to reduce the risk of gastrointestinal toxicity. Motion-compensation strategies and image guidance are paramount for safe SBRT delivery in both tumor entities. SBRT for renal cancer and pancreatic cancer have been successfully evaluated in phase I and phase II trials. Pancreatic SBRT should be practiced carefully and only within prospective protocols due to the risk of severe gastrointestinal toxicity. SBRT for primary renal cell cancer appears a viable option for medically inoperable patients but future research needs to better define patient selection criteria and the detailed practice of SBRT. (orig.) [de

  10. Laparoscopic versus open distal pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Riviere, Deniece; Gurusamy, Kurinchi Selvan; Kooby, David A.; Vollmer, Charles M.; Besselink, Marc G. H.; Davidson, Brian R.; van Laarhoven, Cornelis J. H. M.

    2016-01-01

    Surgical resection is currently the only treatment with the potential for long-term survival and cure of pancreatic cancer. Surgical resection is provided as distal pancreatectomy for cancers of the body and tail of the pancreas. It can be performed by laparoscopic or open surgery. In operations on

  11. Nitrate in drinking water and risk of death from pancreatic cancer in Taiwan.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Yang, Chun-Yuh; Tsai, Shang-Shyue; Chiu, Hui-Fen

    2009-01-01

    The relationship between nitrate levels in drinking water and risk of pancreatic cancer development remains inconclusive. A matched case-control and nitrate ecology study was used to investigate the association between mortality attributed to pancreatic cancer and nitrate exposure from Taiwan's drinking water. All pancreatic cancer deaths of Taiwan residents from 2000 through 2006 were obtained from the Bureau of Vital Statistics of the Taiwan Provincial Department of Health. Controls were deaths from other causes and were pair-matched to the cases by gender, year of birth, and year of death. Each matched control was selected randomly from the set of possible controls for each case. Data on nitrate-nitrogen (NO(3)-N) levels of drinking water throughout Taiwan were collected from Taiwan Water Supply Corporation (TWSC). The municipality of residence for cancer cases and controls was assumed to be the source of the subject's nitrate exposure via drinking water. The adjusted odds ratios and confidence limits for pancreatic cancer death for those with high nitrate levels in their drinking water, as compared to the lowest tertile, were 1.03 (0.9-1.18) and 1.1 (0.96-1.27), respectively. The results of the present study show that there was no statistically significant association between the levels of nitrate in drinking water and increased risk of death from pancreatic cancer.

  12. Dairy products and pancreatic cancer risk: A pooled analysis of 14 cohort studies

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Genkinger, J.M.; Wang, M.; Li, R.; Albanes, D.; Anderson, K.E.; Bernstein, L.; Brandt, P.A. van den; English, D.R.; Freudenheim, J.L.; Fuchs, C.S.; Gapstur, S.M.; Giles, G.G.; Goldbohm, R.A.; Håkansson, N.; Horn-Ross, P.L.; Koushik, A.; Marshal, J.R.; McCullough, M.L.; Miller, A.B.; Robien, K.; Rohan, T.E.; Schairer, C.; Silverman, D.T.; Stolzenberg-Solomon, R.Z.; Virtamo, J.; Willett, W.C.; Wolk, A.; Ziegler, R.G.; Smith-Warner, S.A.

    2014-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer has few early symptoms, is usually diagnosed at late stages, and has a high case-fatality rate. Identifying modifiable risk factors is crucial to reducing pancreatic cancer morbidity and mortality. Prior studies have suggested that specific foods and nutrients, such as dairy

  13. Pancreatic Expression database: a generic model for the organization, integration and mining of complex cancer datasets

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Lemoine Nicholas R

    2007-11-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Pancreatic cancer is the 5th leading cause of cancer death in both males and females. In recent years, a wealth of gene and protein expression studies have been published broadening our understanding of pancreatic cancer biology. Due to the explosive growth in publicly available data from multiple different sources it is becoming increasingly difficult for individual researchers to integrate these into their current research programmes. The Pancreatic Expression database, a generic web-based system, is aiming to close this gap by providing the research community with an open access tool, not only to mine currently available pancreatic cancer data sets but also to include their own data in the database. Description Currently, the database holds 32 datasets comprising 7636 gene expression measurements extracted from 20 different published gene or protein expression studies from various pancreatic cancer types, pancreatic precursor lesions (PanINs and chronic pancreatitis. The pancreatic data are stored in a data management system based on the BioMart technology alongside the human genome gene and protein annotations, sequence, homologue, SNP and antibody data. Interrogation of the database can be achieved through both a web-based query interface and through web services using combined criteria from pancreatic (disease stages, regulation, differential expression, expression, platform technology, publication and/or public data (antibodies, genomic region, gene-related accessions, ontology, expression patterns, multi-species comparisons, protein data, SNPs. Thus, our database enables connections between otherwise disparate data sources and allows relatively simple navigation between all data types and annotations. Conclusion The database structure and content provides a powerful and high-speed data-mining tool for cancer research. It can be used for target discovery i.e. of biomarkers from body fluids, identification and analysis

  14. Analysis of PALB2 gene in BRCA1/BRCA2 negative Spanish hereditary breast/ovarian cancer families with pancreatic cancer cases.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Blanco

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The PALB2 gene, also known as FANCN, forms a bond and co-localizes with BRCA2 in DNA repair. Germline mutations in PALB2 have been identified in approximately 1% of familial breast cancer and 3-4% of familial pancreatic cancer. The goal of this study was to determine the prevalence of PALB2 mutations in a population of BRCA1/BRCA2 negative breast cancer patients selected from either a personal or family history of pancreatic cancer. METHODS: 132 non-BRCA1/BRCA2 breast/ovarian cancer families with at least one pancreatic cancer case were included in the study. PALB2 mutational analysis was performed by direct sequencing of all coding exons and intron/exon boundaries, as well as multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification. RESULTS: Two PALB2 truncating mutations, the c.1653T>A (p.Tyr551Stop previously reported, and c.3362del (p.Gly1121ValfsX3 which is a novel frameshift mutation, were identified. Moreover, several PALB2 variants were detected; some of them were predicted as pathological by bioinformatic analysis. Considering truncating mutations, the prevalence rate of our population of BRCA1/2-negative breast cancer patients with pancreatic cancer is 1.5%. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence rate of PALB2 mutations in non-BRCA1/BRCA2 breast/ovarian cancer families, selected from either a personal or family pancreatic cancer history, is similar to that previously described for unselected breast/ovarian cancer families. Future research directed towards identifying other gene(s involved in the development of breast/pancreatic cancer families is required.

  15. Experimental treatment of pancreatic cancer with two novel histone deacetylase inhibitors

    Science.gov (United States)

    Haefner, Martin; Bluethner, Thilo; Niederhagen, Manuel; Moebius, Christian; Wittekind, Christian; Mossner, Joachim; Caca, Karel; Wiedmann, Marcus

    2008-01-01

    AIM: To investigate in vitro and in vivo treatment with histone deacetylase inhibitors NVP-LAQ824 and NVP-LBH589 in pancreatic cancer. METHODS: Cell-growth inhibition by NVP-LAQ824 and NVP-LBH589 was studied in vitro in 8 human pancreatic cancer cell lines using the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. In addition, the anti-tumoral effect of NVP-LBH589 was studied in a chimeric mouse model. Anti-tumoral activity of the drugs was assessed by immunoblotting for p21WAF-1, acH4, cell cycle analysis, TUNEL assay, and immunohistochemistry for MIB-1. RESULTS: In vitro treatment with both compounds significantly suppressed the growth of all cancer cell lines and was associated with hyperacetylation of nucleosomal histone H4, increased expression of p21WAF-1, cell cycle arrest at G2/M-checkpoint, and increased apoptosis. In vivo, NVP-LBH589 alone significantly reduced tumor mass and potentiated the efficacy of gemcitabine. Further analysis of the tumor specimens revealed slightly increased apoptosis and no significant reduction of cell proliferation. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that NVP-LBH589 and NVP-LAQ824 are active against human pancreatic cancer, although the precise mechanism of in vivo drug action is not yet completely understood. Therefore, further preclinical and clinical studies for the treatment of pancreatic cancer are recommended. PMID:18595135

  16. Insulin/IGF-driven cancer cell-stroma crosstalk as a novel therapeutic target in pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mutgan, Ayse Ceren; Besikcioglu, H Erdinc; Wang, Shenghan; Friess, Helmut; Ceyhan, Güralp O; Demir, Ihsan Ekin

    2018-02-23

    Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is unrivalled the deadliest gastrointestinal cancer in the western world. There is substantial evidence implying that insulin and insulin-like growth factor (IGF) signaling axis prompt PDAC into an advanced stage by enhancing tumor growth, metastasis and by driving therapy resistance. Numerous efforts have been made to block Insulin/IGF signaling pathway in cancer therapy. However, therapies that target the IGF1 receptor (IGF-1R) and IGF subtypes (IGF-1 and IGF-2) have been repeatedly unsuccessful. This failure may not only be due to the complexity and homology that is shared by Insulin and IGF receptors, but also due to the complex stroma-cancer interactions in the pancreas. Shedding light on the interactions between the endocrine/exocrine pancreas and the stroma in PDAC is likely to steer us toward the development of novel treatments. In this review, we highlight the stroma-derived IGF signaling and IGF-binding proteins as potential novel therapeutic targets in PDAC.

  17. FDA Approves Irinotecan Liposome to Treat Pancreatic Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    Patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer that has progressed after receiving gemcitabine-based chemotherapy now have a new treatment option: irinotecan liposome in combination with fluorouracil and leucovorin.

  18. Claudin-4-targeted optical imaging detects pancreatic cancer and its precursor lesions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Neesse, Albrecht; Hahnenkamp, Anke; Griesmann, Heidi; Buchholz, Malte; Hahn, Stefan A; Maghnouj, Abdelouahid; Fendrich, Volker; Ring, Janine; Sipos, Bence; Tuveson, David A; Bremer, Christoph; Gress, Thomas M; Michl, Patrick

    2013-07-01

    Novel imaging methods based on specific molecular targets to detect both established neoplasms and their precursor lesions are highly desirable in cancer medicine. Previously, we identified claudin-4, an integral constituent of tight junctions, as highly expressed in various gastrointestinal tumours including pancreatic cancer. Here, we investigate the potential of targeting claudin-4 with a naturally occurring ligand to visualise pancreatic cancer and its precursor lesions in vitro and in vivo by near-infrared imaging approaches. A non-toxic C-terminal fragment of the claudin-4 ligand Clostridium perfringens enterotoxin (C-CPE) was labelled with a cyanine dye (Cy5.5). Binding of the optical tracer was analysed on claudin-4 positive and negative cells in vitro, and tumour xenografts in vivo. In addition, two genetically engineered mouse models for pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) and pancreatic cancer were used for in vivo validation. Optical imaging studies were conducted using 2D planar fluorescence reflectance imaging (FRI) technology and 3D fluorescence-mediated tomography (FMT). In vitro, the peptide-dye conjugate showed high binding affinity to claudin-4 positive CAPAN1 cells, while claudin-4 negative HT1080 cells revealed little or no fluorescence. In vivo, claudin-4 positive tumour xenografts, endogenous pancreatic tumours, hepatic metastases, as well as preinvasive PanIN lesions, were visualised by FRI and FMT up to 48 h after injection showing a significantly higher average of fluorochrome concentration as compared with claudin-4 negative xenografts and normal pancreatic tissue. C-CPE-Cy5.5 combined with novel optical imaging methods enables non-invasive visualisation of claudin-4 positive murine pancreatic tumours and their precursor lesions, representing a promising modality for early diagnostic imaging.

  19. Challenges of drug resistance in the management of pancreatic cancer.

    LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

    Sheikh, Rizwan

    2012-02-01

    The current treatment of choice for metastatic pancreatic cancer involves single-agent gemcitabine or a combination of gemcitabine with capecitabine or erlotinib (a tyrosine kinase inhibitor). Only 25–30% of patients respond to this treatment and patients who do respond initially ultimately exhibit disease progression. Median survival for pancreatic cancer patients has reached a plateau due to inherent and acquired resistance to these agents. Key molecular factors implicated in this resistance include: deficiencies in drug uptake, alteration of drug targets, activation of DNA repair pathways, resistance to apoptosis and the contribution of the tumor microenvironment. Moreover, for newer agents including tyrosine kinase inhibitors, overexpression of signaling proteins, mutations in kinase domains, activation of alternative pathways, mutations of genes downstream of the target and\\/or amplification of the target represent key challenges for treatment efficacy. Here we will review the contribution of known mechanisms and markers of resistance to key pancreatic cancer drug treatments.

  20. The Role of BRCA2 Mutation Status as Diagnostic, Predictive, and Prognosis Biomarker for Pancreatic Cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Javier Martinez-Useros

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers worldwide, and life expectancy after diagnosis is often short. Most pancreatic tumours appear sporadically and have been highly related to habits such as cigarette smoking, high alcohol intake, high carbohydrate, and sugar consumption. Other observational studies have suggested the association between pancreatic cancer and exposure to arsenic, lead, or cadmium. Aside from these factors, chronic pancreatitis and diabetes have also come to be considered as risk factors for these kinds of tumours. Studies have found that 10% of pancreatic cancer cases arise from an inherited syndrome related to some genetic alterations. One of these alterations includes mutation in BRCA2 gene. BRCA2 mutations impair DNA damage response and homologous recombination by direct regulation of RAD51. In light of these findings that link genetic factors to tumour development, DNA damage agents have been proposed as target therapies for pancreatic cancer patients carrying BRCA2 mutations. Some of these drugs include platinum-based agents and PARP inhibitors. However, the acquired resistance to PARP inhibitors has created a need for new chemotherapeutic strategies to target BRCA2. The present systematic review collects and analyses the role of BRCA2 alterations to be used in early diagnosis of an inherited syndrome associated with familiar cancer and as a prognostic and predictive biomarker for the management of pancreatic cancer patients.

  1. Cachexia and pancreatic cancer: Are there treatment options?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mueller, Tara C; Burmeister, Marc A; Bachmann, Jeannine; Martignoni, Marc E

    2014-01-01

    Cachexia is frequently described in patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and is associated with reduced survival and quality of life. Unfortunately, the therapeutic options of this multi-factorial and complex syndrome are limited. This is due to the fact that, despite extensive preclinical and clinical research, the underlying pathological mechanisms leading to PDAC-associated cachexia are still not fully understood. Furthermore, there is still a lack of consensus on the definition of cachexia, which complicates the standardization of diagnosis and treatment as well as the analysis of the current literature. In order to provide an efficient therapy for cachexia, an early and reliable diagnosis and consistent monitoring is required, which can be challenging especially in obese patients. Although many substances have been tested in clinical and preclinical settings, so far none of them have been proven to have a long-term effect in ameliorating cancer-associated cachexia. However, recent studies have demonstrated that multidimensional therapeutic modalities are able to alleviate pancreatic cancer-associated cachexia and ultimately improve patients’ outcome. In this current review, we propose a stepwise and pragmatic approach to facilitate and standardize the treatment of cachexia in pancreatic cancer patients. This strategy consists of nutritional, dietary, pharmacological, physical and psychological methods. PMID:25071331

  2. Common variables in European pancreatic cancer registries

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    De Leede, E. M.; Sibinga Mulder, B. G.; Bastiaannet, E.

    2016-01-01

    Background Quality assurance of cancer care is of utmost importance to detect and avoid under and over treatment. Most cancer data are collected by different procedures in different countries, and are poorly comparable at an international level. EURECCA, acronym for European Registration of Cancer...... registries, as well as specific pancreatic cancer audits/registries, were invited to participate in EURECCA Pancreas. Participating countries were requested to share an overview of their collected data items. Of the received datasets, a shared items list was made which creates insight in similarities between...

  3. Metabolic Disorder, Inflammation, and Deregulated Molecular Pathways Converging in Pancreatic Cancer Development: Implications for New Therapeutic Strategies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Motoo, Yoshiharu; Shimasaki, Takeo; Ishigaki, Yasuhito; Nakajima, Hideo; Kawakami, Kazuyuki; Minamoto, Toshinari

    2011-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer develops and progresses through complex, cumulative biological processes involving metabolic disorder, local inflammation, and deregulated molecular pathways. The resulting tumor aggressiveness hampers surgical intervention and renders pancreatic cancer resistant to standard chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Based on these pathologic properties, several therapeutic strategies are being developed to reverse refractory pancreatic cancer. Here, we outline molecular targeting therapies, which are primarily directed against growth factor receptor-type tyrosine kinases deregulated in tumors, but have failed to improve the survival of pancreatic cancer patients. Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β) is a member of a serine/threonine protein kinase family that plays a critical role in various cellular pathways. GSK3β has also emerged as a mediator of pathological states, including glucose intolerance, inflammation, and various cancers (e.g., pancreatic cancer). We review recent studies that demonstrate the anti-tumor effects of GSK3β inhibition alone or in combination with chemotherapy and radiation. GSK3β inhibition may exert indirect anti-tumor actions in pancreatic cancer by modulating metabolic disorder and inflammation

  4. Metabolic Disorder, Inflammation, and Deregulated Molecular Pathways Converging in Pancreatic Cancer Development: Implications for New Therapeutic Strategies

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Motoo, Yoshiharu, E-mail: motoo@kanazawa-med.ac.jp [Department of Medical Oncology, Kanazawa Medical University, 1-1 Daigaku, Uchinada, Ishikawa 920-0293 (Japan); Shimasaki, Takeo [Department of Medical Oncology, Kanazawa Medical University, 1-1 Daigaku, Uchinada, Ishikawa 920-0293 (Japan); Division of Translational & Clinical Oncology, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa (Japan); Ishigaki, Yasuhito [Medical Research Institute, Kanazawa Medical University, 1-1 Daigaku, Uchinada, Ishikawa 920-0293 (Japan); Nakajima, Hideo [Department of Medical Oncology, Kanazawa Medical University, 1-1 Daigaku, Uchinada, Ishikawa 920-0293 (Japan); Kawakami, Kazuyuki; Minamoto, Toshinari [Division of Translational & Clinical Oncology, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa (Japan)

    2011-01-24

    Pancreatic cancer develops and progresses through complex, cumulative biological processes involving metabolic disorder, local inflammation, and deregulated molecular pathways. The resulting tumor aggressiveness hampers surgical intervention and renders pancreatic cancer resistant to standard chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Based on these pathologic properties, several therapeutic strategies are being developed to reverse refractory pancreatic cancer. Here, we outline molecular targeting therapies, which are primarily directed against growth factor receptor-type tyrosine kinases deregulated in tumors, but have failed to improve the survival of pancreatic cancer patients. Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β) is a member of a serine/threonine protein kinase family that plays a critical role in various cellular pathways. GSK3β has also emerged as a mediator of pathological states, including glucose intolerance, inflammation, and various cancers (e.g., pancreatic cancer). We review recent studies that demonstrate the anti-tumor effects of GSK3β inhibition alone or in combination with chemotherapy and radiation. GSK3β inhibition may exert indirect anti-tumor actions in pancreatic cancer by modulating metabolic disorder and inflammation.

  5. Metabolic Disorder, Inflammation, and Deregulated Molecular Pathways Converging in Pancreatic Cancer Development: Implications for New Therapeutic Strategies

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Toshinari Minamoto

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Pancreatic cancer develops and progresses through complex, cumulative biological processes involving metabolic disorder, local inflammation, and deregulated molecular pathways. The resulting tumor aggressiveness hampers surgical intervention and renders pancreatic cancer resistant to standard chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Based on these pathologic properties, several therapeutic strategies are being developed to reverse refractory pancreatic cancer. Here, we outline molecular targeting therapies, which are primarily directed against growth factor receptor-type tyrosine kinases deregulated in tumors, but have failed to improve the survival of pancreatic cancer patients. Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK3β is a member of a serine/threonine protein kinase family that plays a critical role in various cellular pathways. GSK3β has also emerged as a mediator of pathological states, including glucose intolerance, inflammation, and various cancers (e.g., pancreatic cancer. We review recent studies that demonstrate the anti-tumor effects of GSK3β inhibition alone or in combination with chemotherapy and radiation. GSK3β inhibition may exert indirect anti-tumor actions in pancreatic cancer by modulating metabolic disorder and inflammation.

  6. Dominant Expression of DCLK1 in Human Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cells Accelerates Tumor Invasion and Metastasis.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hiromitsu Ito

    Full Text Available Patients with pancreatic cancer typically develop tumor invasion and metastasis in the early stage. These malignant behaviors might be originated from cancer stem cells (CSCs, but the responsible target is less known about invisible CSCs especially for invasion and metastasis. We previously examined the proteasome activity of CSCs and constructed a real-time visualization system for human pancreatic CSCs. In the present study, we found that CSCs were highly metastatic and dominantly localized at the invading tumor margins in a liver metastasis model. Microarray and siRNA screening assays showed that doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1 was predominantly expressed with histone modification in pancreatic CSCs with invasive and metastatic potential. Overexpression of DCLK1 led to amoeboid morphology, which promotes the migration of pancreatic cancer cells. Knockdown of DCLK1 profoundly suppressed in vivo liver metastasis of pancreatic CSCs. Clinically, DCLK1 was overexpressed in the metastatic tumors in patients with pancreatic cancer. Our studies revealed that DCLK1 is essential for the invasive and metastatic properties of CSCs and may be a promising epigenetic and therapeutic target in human pancreatic cancer.

  7. Radiation dose responses for chemoradiation therapy of pancreatic cancer: an analysis of compiled clinical data using biophysical models.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Moraru, Ion C; Tai, An; Erickson, Beth; Li, X Allen

    2014-01-01

    We analyzed recent clinical data obtained from chemoradiation of unresectable, locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) in order to examine possible benefits from radiation therapy dose escalation. A modified linear quadratic model was used to fit clinical tumor response and survival data of chemoradiation treatments for LAPC reported from 20 institutions. Biophysical radiosensitivity parameters were extracted from the fits. Examination of the clinical data demonstrated an enhancement in tumor response with higher irradiation dose, an important clinical result for palliation and quality of life. Little indication of improvement in 1-year survival with increased radiation dose was observed. Possible dose escalation schemes are proposed based on calculations of the biologically effective dose required for a 50% tumor response rate. Based on the evaluation of tumor response data, the escalation of radiation dose presents potential clinical benefits which when combined with normal tissue complication analyses may result in improved treatment outcome for locally advanced pancreatic cancer patients. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Radiation Oncology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  8. Reverse-Contrast Imaging and Targeted Radiation Therapy of Advanced Pancreatic Cancer Models

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Thorek, Daniel L.J., E-mail: dthorek1@jhmi.edu [Division of Nuclear Medicine, The Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Sciences, The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD (United States); Kramer, Robin M. [Tri-Institutional Training Program in Laboratory Animal Medicine and Science, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC), Weill Cornell Medical College, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY (United States); Chen, Qing; Jeong, Jeho; Lupu, Mihaela E. [Department of Medical Physics, MSKCC, New York, NY (United States); Lee, Alycia M.; Moynahan, Mary E.; Lowery, Maeve [Department of Medicine, MSKCC, New York, NY (United States); Ulmert, David [Molecular Pharmacology and Chemistry Program, MSKCC, New York, NY (United States); Department of Surgery (Urology), Skåne University Hospital, Malmö (Sweden); Zanzonico, Pat; Deasy, Joseph O.; Humm, John L. [Department of Medical Physics, MSKCC, New York, NY (United States); Russell, James, E-mail: russellj@mskcc.org [Department of Medical Physics, MSKCC, New York, NY (United States)

    2015-10-01

    Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of delivering experimental radiation therapy to tumors in the mouse pancreas. Imaging and treatment were performed using combined CT (computed tomography)/orthovoltage treatment with a rotating gantry. Methods and Materials: After intraperitoneal administration of radiopaque iodinated contrast, abdominal organ delineation was performed by x-ray CT. With this technique we delineated the pancreas and both orthotopic xenografts and genetically engineered disease. Computed tomographic imaging was validated by comparison with magnetic resonance imaging. Therapeutic radiation was delivered via a 1-cm diameter field. Selective x-ray radiation therapy of the noninvasively defined orthotopic mass was confirmed using γH2AX staining. Mice could tolerate a dose of 15 Gy when the field was centered on the pancreas tail, and treatment was delivered as a continuous 360° arc. This strategy was then used for radiation therapy planning for selective delivery of therapeutic x-ray radiation therapy to orthotopic tumors. Results: Tumor growth delay after 15 Gy was monitored, using CT and ultrasound to determine the tumor volume at various times after treatment. Our strategy enables the use of clinical radiation oncology approaches to treat experimental tumors in the pancreas of small animals for the first time. We demonstrate that delivery of 15 Gy from a rotating gantry minimizes background healthy tissue damage and significantly retards tumor growth. Conclusions: This advance permits evaluation of radiation planning and dosing parameters. Accurate noninvasive longitudinal imaging and monitoring of tumor progression and therapeutic response in preclinical models is now possible and can be expected to more effectively evaluate pancreatic cancer disease and therapeutic response.

  9. Reverse-Contrast Imaging and Targeted Radiation Therapy of Advanced Pancreatic Cancer Models

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thorek, Daniel L.J.; Kramer, Robin M.; Chen, Qing; Jeong, Jeho; Lupu, Mihaela E.; Lee, Alycia M.; Moynahan, Mary E.; Lowery, Maeve; Ulmert, David; Zanzonico, Pat; Deasy, Joseph O.; Humm, John L.; Russell, James

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: To evaluate the feasibility of delivering experimental radiation therapy to tumors in the mouse pancreas. Imaging and treatment were performed using combined CT (computed tomography)/orthovoltage treatment with a rotating gantry. Methods and Materials: After intraperitoneal administration of radiopaque iodinated contrast, abdominal organ delineation was performed by x-ray CT. With this technique we delineated the pancreas and both orthotopic xenografts and genetically engineered disease. Computed tomographic imaging was validated by comparison with magnetic resonance imaging. Therapeutic radiation was delivered via a 1-cm diameter field. Selective x-ray radiation therapy of the noninvasively defined orthotopic mass was confirmed using γH2AX staining. Mice could tolerate a dose of 15 Gy when the field was centered on the pancreas tail, and treatment was delivered as a continuous 360° arc. This strategy was then used for radiation therapy planning for selective delivery of therapeutic x-ray radiation therapy to orthotopic tumors. Results: Tumor growth delay after 15 Gy was monitored, using CT and ultrasound to determine the tumor volume at various times after treatment. Our strategy enables the use of clinical radiation oncology approaches to treat experimental tumors in the pancreas of small animals for the first time. We demonstrate that delivery of 15 Gy from a rotating gantry minimizes background healthy tissue damage and significantly retards tumor growth. Conclusions: This advance permits evaluation of radiation planning and dosing parameters. Accurate noninvasive longitudinal imaging and monitoring of tumor progression and therapeutic response in preclinical models is now possible and can be expected to more effectively evaluate pancreatic cancer disease and therapeutic response

  10. Mechanistic studies of Gemcitabine-loaded nanoplatforms in resistant pancreatic cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Papa, Anne-Laure; Basu, Sudipta; Sengupta, Poulomi; Banerjee, Deboshri; Sengupta, Shiladitya; Harfouche, Rania

    2012-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer remains the deadliest of all cancers, with a mortality rate of 91%. Gemcitabine is considered the gold chemotherapeutic standard, but only marginally improves life-span due to its chemical instability and low cell penetrance. A new paradigm to improve Gemcitabine’s therapeutic index is to administer it in nanoparticles, which favour its delivery to cells when under 500 nm in diameter. Although promising, this approach still suffers from major limitations, as the choice of nanovector used as well as its effects on Gemcitabine intracellular trafficking inside pancreatic cancer cells remain unknown. A proper elucidation of these mechanisms would allow for the elaboration of better strategies to engineer more potent Gemcitabine nanotherapeutics against pancreatic cancer. Gemcitabine was encapsulated in two types of commonly used nanovectors, namely poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) and cholesterol-based liposomes, and their physico-chemical parameters assessed in vitro. Their mechanisms of action in human pancreatic cells were compared with those of the free drug, and with each others, using cytotoxity, apoptosis and ultrastructural analyses. Physico-chemical analyses of both drugs showed high loading efficiencies and sizes of less than 200 nm, as assessed by dynamic light scattering (DLS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), with a drug release profile of at least one week. These profiles translated to significant cytotoxicity and apoptosis, as well as distinct intracellular trafficking mechanisms, which were most pronounced in the case of PLGem showing significant mitochondrial, cytosolic and endoplasmic reticulum stresses. Our study demonstrates how the choice of nanovector affects the mechanisms of drug action and is a crucial determinant of Gemcitabine intracellular trafficking and potency in pancreatic cancer settings

  11. Guide to intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy for pancreatic cancers (draft text)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    2012-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is one of most malignant solid tumors. Trans-arterial infusion chemotherapy has been used for the inoperable pancreatic cancers. The local drug concentration in intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy is much higher than that in intravenous chemotherapy. Thus, a better therapeutic effect can be surely achieved, the disease-related symptoms can be well improved, the patient's survival time can be markedly prolonged, and the liver metastases can be effectively reduced. This paper aims to suggest a more detailed and standardized therapeutic scheme to perform intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy for inoperable pancreatic cancers, focusing on the relevant concept, contraindications, indications, preoperative preparation, methods of operation, postoperative treatment, the prevention and treatment of complications, etc. The scheme will help domestic interventional physicians to make reasonable decisions in their clinical practice. Of course, the scheme proposed here is not a mandatory standard, and it can not resolve all the problems which might be encountered in employing intra-arterial infusion chemotherapy for patients with inoperable pancreatic cancer. Therefore, the interventional physicians should fully understand the most useful medical evidence of a given patient and sincerely take the patient's own will into consideration before an individualized and reasonable therapeutic plan is able to be worked out. (authors)

  12. Pim-3 contributes to radioresistance through regulation of the cell cycle and DNA damage repair in pancreatic cancer cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chen, Xiang-Yuan; Wang, Zhen [Cancer Research Institute, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai (China); Li, Bei [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai (China); Zhang, Ying-Jian, E-mail: yjzhang111@aliyun.com [Department of Nuclear Medicine, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai (China); Li, Ying-Yi, E-mail: liyingyi@fudan.edu.cn [Cancer Research Institute, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Department of Oncology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai (China)

    2016-04-22

    Resistance of cancer cells to chemoradiotherapy is a major clinical problem in pancreatic cancer treatment. Therefore, understanding the molecular basis of cellular resistance and identifying novel targets are essential for improving treatment efficacy for pancreatic cancer patients. Previous studies have demonstrated a significant role for Pim-3 in pancreatic cancer survival against gemcitabine-induced genotoxic stress. Here, we observed that radiation treatment enhanced Pim-3 expression in human pancreatic cancer cells in vitro. Stable overexpression of Pim-3 in pancreatic cancer cells significantly protected cells against radiation treatment by attenuating G2/M phase cell cycle arrest and DNA damage response. Silencing of Pim-3 expression significantly elevated the phosphorylation of histone variant H2AX, a marker of DNA double strand breaks, and decreased the activation of ataxia-telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) kinase, along with its downstream targets, eventually enhancing the radiosensitivity of human pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Hence, we demonstrated a novel function for Pim-3 in human pancreatic cancer cell survival against radiation. Targeting Pim-3 may be a promising way to improve treatment efficacy in combination with radiotherapy in human pancreatic cancer. - Highlights: • This is first study to demonstrate that Pim-3 is endogenously induced by ionizing radiation in pancreatic cancer cells, and Pim-3 overexpression enhanced radioresistance of pancreatic cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. • This is first study to provide evidence that radioresistance induced by Pim-3 is mainly attributed to Pim-3 induces activation of ATM, which subsequently activates checkpoint 1, leading to amplification of DNA repair through cell cycle arrest and DNA repair pathways. • This is first study to indicate that targeting Pim-3 may be a promising strategy to provide better treatment efficacy in combination with radiotherapy in human pancreatic

  13. Pim-3 contributes to radioresistance through regulation of the cell cycle and DNA damage repair in pancreatic cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, Xiang-Yuan; Wang, Zhen; Li, Bei; Zhang, Ying-Jian; Li, Ying-Yi

    2016-01-01

    Resistance of cancer cells to chemoradiotherapy is a major clinical problem in pancreatic cancer treatment. Therefore, understanding the molecular basis of cellular resistance and identifying novel targets are essential for improving treatment efficacy for pancreatic cancer patients. Previous studies have demonstrated a significant role for Pim-3 in pancreatic cancer survival against gemcitabine-induced genotoxic stress. Here, we observed that radiation treatment enhanced Pim-3 expression in human pancreatic cancer cells in vitro. Stable overexpression of Pim-3 in pancreatic cancer cells significantly protected cells against radiation treatment by attenuating G2/M phase cell cycle arrest and DNA damage response. Silencing of Pim-3 expression significantly elevated the phosphorylation of histone variant H2AX, a marker of DNA double strand breaks, and decreased the activation of ataxia-telangiectasia-mutated (ATM) kinase, along with its downstream targets, eventually enhancing the radiosensitivity of human pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Hence, we demonstrated a novel function for Pim-3 in human pancreatic cancer cell survival against radiation. Targeting Pim-3 may be a promising way to improve treatment efficacy in combination with radiotherapy in human pancreatic cancer. - Highlights: • This is first study to demonstrate that Pim-3 is endogenously induced by ionizing radiation in pancreatic cancer cells, and Pim-3 overexpression enhanced radioresistance of pancreatic cancer cells both in vitro and in vivo. • This is first study to provide evidence that radioresistance induced by Pim-3 is mainly attributed to Pim-3 induces activation of ATM, which subsequently activates checkpoint 1, leading to amplification of DNA repair through cell cycle arrest and DNA repair pathways. • This is first study to indicate that targeting Pim-3 may be a promising strategy to provide better treatment efficacy in combination with radiotherapy in human pancreatic

  14. In vitro cytotoxicity of alpha conjugates for human pancreatic cancer cell lines

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Qu, C.; Li, Y.; Rizvi, M.A.; Allen, B.; Samra, J.; Smith, R.

    2003-01-01

    Targeted Alpha therapy (TAT) can inhibit the growth of micrometastases by selectively killing isolated and preangiogenic clusters of cancer cells. The aim of this study is to demonstrate the cytotoxicity of different alpha conjugates in vitro to human metastatic pancreatic cancer cell lines (CAPAN-1, CFPAN-1 and PANC-1). We are labeling the C595 and J591 (non-specific controls) monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) with 213 Bi were performed according to the standard methods in our laboratory. 213 Bi-C595 is specifically cytotoxic to CAPAN-1, CFPAN-1 and PANC-1cell lines in a concentration-dependent fashion. While non-specific alpha conjugates only killed very small fractions of pancreatic cancer cells. These alpha conjugates might be useful agents for the treatment of micro-metastases in pancreatic cancer patients with over-expression of the targeted receptors

  15. Hypothyroidism in Pancreatic Cancer: Role of Exogenous Thyroid Hormone in Tumor Invasion—Preliminary Observations

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Konrad Sarosiek

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available According to the epidemiological studies, about 4.4% of American general elderly population has a pronounced hypothyroidism and relies on thyroid hormone supplements daily. The prevalence of hypothyroidism in our patients with pancreatic cancer was much higher, 14.1%. A retrospective analysis was performed on patients who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy (Whipple procedure or distal pancreatectomy and splenectomy (DPS at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, from 2005 to 2012. The diagnosis of hypothyroidism was correlated with clinicopathologic parameters including tumor stage, grade, and survival. To further understand how thyroid hormone affects pancreatic cancer behavior, functional studies including wound-induced cell migration, proliferation, and invasion were performed on pancreatic cancer cell lines, MiaPaCa-2 and AsPC-1. We found that hypothyroid patients taking exogenous thyroid hormone were more than three times likely to have perineural invasion, and about twice as likely to have higher T stage, nodal spread, and overall poorer prognostic stage (P<0.05. Pancreatic cancer cell line studies demonstrated that exogenous thyroid hormone treatment increased cell proliferation, migration, and invasion (P<0.05. We conclude that exogenous thyroid hormone may contribute to the progression of pancreatic cancer.

  16. Intervention on toll-like receptors in pancreatic cancer.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vaz, Juan; Andersson, Roland

    2014-05-21

    Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) is a devastating disease with pronounced morbidity and a high mortality rate. Currently available treatments lack convincing cost-efficiency determinations and are in most cases not associated with relevant success rate. Experimental stimulation of the immune system in murine PDA models has revealed some promising results. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are pillars of the immune system that have been linked to several forms of malignancy, including lung, breast and colon cancer. In humans, TLRs are expressed in the pancreatic cancer tissue and in several cancer cell lines, whereas they are not expressed in the normal pancreas. In the present review, we explore the current knowledge concerning the role of different TLRs associated to PDA. Even if almost all known TLRs are expressed in the pancreatic cancer microenvironment, there are only five TLRs suggested as possible therapeutic targets. Most data points at TLR2 and TLR9 as effective tumor markers and agonists could potentially be used as e.g. future adjuvant therapies. The elucidation of the role of TLR3 in PDA is only in its initial phase. The inhibition/blockage of TLR4-related pathways has shown some promising effects, but there are still many steps left before TLR4 inhibitors can be considered as possible therapeutic agents. Finally, TLR7 antagonists seem to be potential candidates for therapy. Independent of their potential in immunotherapies, all existing data indicate that TLRs are strongly involved in the pathophysiology and development of PDA.

  17. YAP Inhibition by Resveratrol via Activation of AMPK Enhances the Sensitivity of Pancreatic Cancer Cells to Gemcitabine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zhengdong Jiang

    2016-09-01

    Full Text Available Resveratrol, a natural polyphenol present in most plants, inhibits the growth of numerous cancers both in vitro and in vivo. Aberrant expression of YAP has been reported to activate multiple growth-regulatory pathways and confer anti-apoptotic abilities to many cancer cells. However, the role of resveratrol in YES-activated protein (YAP expression and that of YAP in pancreatic cancer cells’ response to gemcitabine resistance remain elusive. In this study, we found that resveratrol suppressed the proliferation and cloning ability and induced the apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells. These multiple biological effects might result from the activation of AMP-activation protein kinase (AMPK (Thr172 and, thus, the induction of YAP cytoplasmic retention, Ser127 phosphorylation, and the inhibition of YAP transcriptional activity by resveratrol. YAP silencing by siRNA or resveratrol enhanced the sensitivity of gemcitabine in pancreatic cancer cells. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that resveratrol could increase the sensitivity of pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine by inhibiting YAP expression. More importantly, our work reveals that resveratrol is a potential anticancer agent for the treatment of pancreatic cancer, and YAP may serve as a promising target for sensitizing pancreatic cancer cells to chemotherapy.

  18. NIK is involved in constitutive activation of the alternative NF-κB pathway and proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishina, Takashi; Yamaguchi, Noritaka; Gohda, Jin; Semba, Kentaro; Inoue, Jun-ichiro

    2009-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer has one of the poorest prognoses among human neoplasms. Constitutive activation of NF-κB is frequently observed in pancreatic cancer cells and is involved in their malignancy. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism of this constitutive NF-κB activation. Here, we show that the alternative pathway is constitutively activated and NF-κB-inducing kinase (NIK), a mediator of the alternative pathway, is significantly expressed in pancreatic cancer cells. siRNA-mediated silencing of NIK expression followed by subcellular fractionation revealed that NIK is constitutively involved in the processing of p100 and nuclear transport of p52 and RelB in pancreatic cancer cells. In addition, NIK silencing significantly suppressed proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells. These results clearly indicate that NIK is involved in the constitutive activation of the alternative pathway and controls cell proliferation in pancreatic cancer cells. Therefore, NIK might be a novel target for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

  19. NIK is involved in constitutive activation of the alternative NF-{kappa}B pathway and proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Nishina, Takashi [Division of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639 (Japan); Yamaguchi, Noritaka [Division of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639 (Japan); Consolidated Research Institute for Advanced Science and Medical Care, Waseda University, 513 Wasedatsurumaki-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0041 (Japan); Gohda, Jin [Division of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639 (Japan); Semba, Kentaro [Consolidated Research Institute for Advanced Science and Medical Care, Waseda University, 513 Wasedatsurumaki-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-0041 (Japan); Department of Life Science and Medical Bio-science, Waseda University, 2-2 Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 162-8480 (Japan); Inoue, Jun-ichiro, E-mail: jun-i@ims.u-tokyo.ac.jp [Division of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8639 (Japan)

    2009-10-09

    Pancreatic cancer has one of the poorest prognoses among human neoplasms. Constitutive activation of NF-{kappa}B is frequently observed in pancreatic cancer cells and is involved in their malignancy. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism of this constitutive NF-{kappa}B activation. Here, we show that the alternative pathway is constitutively activated and NF-{kappa}B-inducing kinase (NIK), a mediator of the alternative pathway, is significantly expressed in pancreatic cancer cells. siRNA-mediated silencing of NIK expression followed by subcellular fractionation revealed that NIK is constitutively involved in the processing of p100 and nuclear transport of p52 and RelB in pancreatic cancer cells. In addition, NIK silencing significantly suppressed proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells. These results clearly indicate that NIK is involved in the constitutive activation of the alternative pathway and controls cell proliferation in pancreatic cancer cells. Therefore, NIK might be a novel target for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

  20. Ginkgo Biloba Extract Kaempferol Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Induces Apoptosis in Pancreatic Cancer Cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Zhang, Yuqing; Chen, Aaron Y.; Li, Min; Chen, Changyi; Yao, Qizhi

    2010-01-01

    Background Kaempferol is one of the most important constituents in ginkgo flavonoids. Recent studies indicate kaempferol may have anti-tumor activities. The objective in this study was to determine the effect and mechanisms of kaempferol on pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and apoptosis. Materials and Methods Pancreatic cancer cell lines MIA PaCa-2 and Panc-1 were treated with Kampferol, and the inhibitory effects of kaempferol on pancreatic cancer cell proliferation were examined by direct cell counting, 3H-thymidine incorporation and MTS assay. Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release from cells was determined as an index of cytotoxicity. Apoptosis was analyzed by TUNEL assay. Results Upon the treatment with 70 μM kaempferol for 4 days, MIA PaCa-2 cell proliferation was significantly inhibited by 79% and 45.7% as determined by direct cell counting and MTS assay, respectively, compared with control cells (Pkaempferol significantly inhibited Panc-1 cell proliferation. Kaempferol treatment also significantly reduced 3H-thymidine incorporation in both MIA PaCa-2 and Panc-1 cells. Combination treatment of low concentrations of kaempferol and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) showed an additive effect on the inhibition of MIA PaCa-2 cell proliferation. Furthermore, kaempferol had a significantly less cytotoxicity than 5-FU in normal human pancreatic ductal epithelial cells (P=0.029). In both MIA PaCa-2 and Panc-1 cells, apoptotic cell population was increased when treated with kaempferol in a concentration-dependent manner. Conclusions Ginkgo biloba extract kaempferol effectively inhibits pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and induces cancer cell apoptosis, which may sensitize pancreatic tumor cells to chemotherapy. Kaempferol may have clinical applications as adjuvant therapy in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. PMID:18570926

  1. Contrast enhancement by arterial perfusion during computed tomography (computed tomographic arteriography) of the pancreatic disease

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takaki, Yukiari

    1983-01-01

    Computed tomographic arteriography (CTA) was performed on 52 cases of pancreatic disease in which was suspected clinically, and in which other method failed to yield a definitive diagnosis. For CTA, 65% meglumine diatrizoate 20 ml, diluted 1:3, was injected via a catherter inserted in an artery connected with the pancreas and the change with time of the pacreas CT number was studied. The normal pancreas stains deeply and the best contrast enhancement was obtained between 17 to 21 seconds after instillation of contrast medium. In the CTA findings in pancreatic cancer, low density areas with irregular internal structures are characteristic, and these characteristics were seen even in minute pancreatic cancers which could not be recognized by CT or the intravenous bolus injection method. On the other hand, in chronic pancreatitis, even when differentiation from pancreatic cancer is difficult with arterial and venous encasement in angiography, as long as the chronic pancreatitis is not very advanced ischemic changes are not seen, and this permits differentiation form normal pancreas. This also facilitates differentiation between pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. In the intravenous bolus injection method, the chronological change of contrast enhancement in the pancreas was studied and the best contrast enhancement was obtained after 60 to 120 seconds. This method revealed no findings peculiar to pancreatic cancer. Based on the above, CTA was found to be useful for making in contributing to establishing a definitive diagnosis, detecting minute pancreatic cancer and to differentiate pancreatic cancer from chronic pancreatitis. (author)

  2. KPNA7, a nuclear transport receptor, promotes malignant properties of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laurila, Eeva; Vuorinen, Elisa; Savinainen, Kimmo; Rauhala, Hanna; Kallioniemi, Anne

    2014-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive malignancy and one of the leading causes of cancer deaths. The high mortality rate is mostly due to the lack of appropriate tools for early detection of the disease and a shortage of effective therapies. We have previously shown that karyopherin alpha 7 (KPNA7), the newest member of the alpha karyopherin family of nuclear import receptors, is frequently amplified and overexpressed in pancreatic cancer. Here, we report that KPNA7 expression is absent in practically all normal human adult tissues but elevated in several pancreatic cancer cell lines. Inhibition of KPNA7 expression in AsPC-1 and Hs700T pancreatic cancer cells led to a reduction in cell growth and decreased anchorage independent growth, as well as increased autophagy. The cell growth effects were accompanied by an induction of the cell cycle regulator p21 and a G1 arrest of the cell cycle. Interestingly, the p21 induction was caused by increased mRNA synthesis and not defective nuclear transport. These data strongly demonstrate that KPNA7 silencing inhibits the malignant properties of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and thereby provide the first evidence on the functional role for KPNA7 in human cancer. - Highlights: • KPNA7 expression is elevated in several pancreatic cancer cell lines. • KPNA7 silencing in high expressing cancer cells leads to growth inhibition. • The cell growth reduction is associated with p21 induction and G1 arrest. • KPNA7 silencing is also accompanied with increased autophagy

  3. Helicobacter pylori infection, atrophic gastritis, and pancreatic cancer risk: A meta-analysis of prospective epidemiologic studies.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liu, Hong; Chen, Yue-Tong; Wang, Rui; Chen, Xin-Zu

    2017-08-01

    To investigate the associations of Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection and atrophic gastritis (AG) with pancreatic cancer risk. A literature search in PubMed was performed up to July 2017. Only prospective cohort and nested case-control studies enrolling cancer-free participants were eligible. Incident pancreatic cancer cases were ascertained during the follow-up. The risks of pancreatic cancer were compared between persons infected and noninfected with Hp, or between those with and without AG status at baseline. Odds ratios (ORs) or hazard ratios were combined. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed, and publication bias was estimated. Three cohort studies and 6 nested case-control studies, including 65,155 observations, were analyzed. The meta-analyses did not confirm the association between pancreatic cancer risk and Hp infection (OR = 1.09, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.81-1.47) or AG status (OR = 1.18, 95% CI = 0.80-1.72). However, particular subpopulations potentially had increased risks of pancreatic cancer. Cytotoxin-associated gene A (CagA)-negative strains of Hp might be a causative factor of pancreatic cancer (OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.05-1.62), but a sensitivity analysis by leave-one-out method did not fully warrant it (OR = 1.20, 95% CI = 0.93-1.56). In 1 nested case-control study, AG at stomach corpus in Hp-negative subpopulation might have increased risk of pancreatic cancer, but with a poor test power = 0.56. Publication biases were nonsignificant in the present meta-analysis. Based on current prospective epidemiologic studies, the linkage of pancreatic cancer to Hp infection or AG status was not warranted on the whole. Nevertheless, prospective studies only focusing on those specific subpopulations are further required to obtain better power.

  4. Optimizing Adjuvant Therapy for Resected Pancreatic Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    In this clinical trial, patients with resected pancreatic head cancer will be randomly assigned to receive either gemcitabine with or without erlotinib for 5 treatment cycles. Patients who do not experience disease progression or recurrence will then be r

  5. Evaluation of pancreatic cancer by multiple breath-hold dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging at 3.0 T

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yao, Xiuzhong; Zeng, Mengsu; Wang, He; Sun, Fei; Rao, Shengxiang; Ji, Yuan

    2012-01-01

    Objective: To investigate the microcirculation in pancreatic cancer by pharmacokinetic analysis of multiple breath-hold dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging at 3.0 T. Materials and methods: Multiple breath-hold dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging was performed in 40 healthy volunteers and 40 patients with pancreatic cancer proven by histopathology using an axial three-dimensions fat-saturated T1-weighted spoiled-gradient echo sequence at 3.0 T. A two compartment model with T1 correction was used to quantify the transfer constant, the rate constant of backflux from the extravascular extracellular space to the plasma and the extravascular extracellular space fractional volume in pancreatic cancer, obstructive pancreatitis distal to the malignant tumor, adjacent pancreatic tissue proximal to the tumor and normal pancreas. All parameters were statistically analyzed. Results: Statistical differences were noticed in both the transfer constant (p = 0.000075) and the rate constant of backflux (p = 0.006) among different tissues. Both the transfer constant and the rate constant of backflux in pancreatic cancer were statistically lower than those in normal pancreas and adjacent pancreatic tissue (p < 0.05). Both the transfer constant and the rate constant of backflux in obstructive pancreatitis were statistically lower than those in normal pancreas and adjacent pancreatic tissue (p < 0.05). The extravascular extracellular space fractional volume in pancreatic cancer was statistically lager than that in normal pancreas (p = 0.002). Conclusion: Multiple breath-hold dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging offers a useful technique to evaluate the microenvironment in pancreatic cancer at 3.0 T. Compared to normal pancreas, pancreatic cancer has lower transfer constant, rate constant of backflux and larger extravascular extracellular space fractional volume.

  6. Evaluation of pancreatic cancer by multiple breath-hold dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging at 3.0 T

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yao, Xiuzhong, E-mail: yao.xiuzhong@zs-hospital.sh.cn [Department of Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University and Department of Medical Image, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, No. 138, Fenglin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032 (China); Zeng, Mengsu, E-mail: zengmengsu@gmail.com [Department of Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University and Department of Medical Image, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, No. 138, Fenglin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032 (China); Wang, He, E-mail: herry258@hotmail.com [Global Applied Science Laboratory of GE Healthcare, No. 1, Huatuo Road, Zhangjiang Hi-tech Park, Pudong District, Shanghai 201203 (China); Sun, Fei, E-mail: fei.sun@med.ge.com [Global Applied Science Laboratory of GE Healthcare, No. 1, Huatuo Road, Zhangjiang Hi-tech Park, Pudong District, Shanghai 201203 (China); Rao, Shengxiang, E-mail: rao.shengxiang@zs-hospital.sh.cn [Department of Radiology, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University and Department of Medical Image, Shanghai Medical College of Fudan University, No. 138, Fenglin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032 (China); Ji, Yuan, E-mail: Ji.yuan@zs-hospital.sh.cn [Department of Pathology, Zhongshan Hospital of Fudan University, No. 138, Fenglin Road, Xuhui District, Shanghai 200032 (China)

    2012-08-15

    Objective: To investigate the microcirculation in pancreatic cancer by pharmacokinetic analysis of multiple breath-hold dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging at 3.0 T. Materials and methods: Multiple breath-hold dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging was performed in 40 healthy volunteers and 40 patients with pancreatic cancer proven by histopathology using an axial three-dimensions fat-saturated T1-weighted spoiled-gradient echo sequence at 3.0 T. A two compartment model with T1 correction was used to quantify the transfer constant, the rate constant of backflux from the extravascular extracellular space to the plasma and the extravascular extracellular space fractional volume in pancreatic cancer, obstructive pancreatitis distal to the malignant tumor, adjacent pancreatic tissue proximal to the tumor and normal pancreas. All parameters were statistically analyzed. Results: Statistical differences were noticed in both the transfer constant (p = 0.000075) and the rate constant of backflux (p = 0.006) among different tissues. Both the transfer constant and the rate constant of backflux in pancreatic cancer were statistically lower than those in normal pancreas and adjacent pancreatic tissue (p < 0.05). Both the transfer constant and the rate constant of backflux in obstructive pancreatitis were statistically lower than those in normal pancreas and adjacent pancreatic tissue (p < 0.05). The extravascular extracellular space fractional volume in pancreatic cancer was statistically lager than that in normal pancreas (p = 0.002). Conclusion: Multiple breath-hold dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging offers a useful technique to evaluate the microenvironment in pancreatic cancer at 3.0 T. Compared to normal pancreas, pancreatic cancer has lower transfer constant, rate constant of backflux and larger extravascular extracellular space fractional volume.

  7. Chinese herb derived-Rocaglamide A is a potent inhibitor of pancreatic cancer cells

    OpenAIRE

    Wang, Baochun; Li, Yixiong; Tan, Fengbo; Xiao, Zhanxiang

    2016-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer ranks No.1 in mortality rate worldwide. This study aims to identify the novel anti-pancreatic cancer drugs. Human pancreatic carcinoma cell lines were purchased from ATCC. CPE-based screening assay was used to examine the cell viability. Patient derived tumor xenografts in SCID mice was established. The Caspase-3 and 7 activities were measured using the Caspase Glo 3/7 Assay kit. Soft agar colony formation assay was used to evaluate the colony formation. Wound healing assay ...

  8. Computer-aided diagnosis of pancreatic and lung cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    B. Luis Lancho Tofé

    2008-12-01

    Full Text Available When we talk about cancer diagnosis the most important thing is early diagnosis to prevent cancer cells from spreading. We may also consider the high cost of diagnostic tests. Our approach seeks to address both problems. It uses a software based on Bayesian networks that simulates the causeeffect relationships and gets the chance of suffering a pancreatic cancer or lung cancer. This software would support doctors and save a lot of time and resources.

  9. Palliative Care in Improving Quality of Life and Symptoms in Patients With Stage III-IV Pancreatic or Ovarian Cancer

    Science.gov (United States)

    2014-12-18

    Recurrent Ovarian Epithelial Cancer; Recurrent Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor; Recurrent Pancreatic Cancer; Stage III Pancreatic Cancer; Stage IIIA Ovarian Epithelial Cancer; Stage IIIA Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor; Stage IIIB Ovarian Epithelial Cancer; Stage IIIB Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor; Stage IIIC Ovarian Epithelial Cancer; Stage IIIC Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor; Stage IV Ovarian Epithelial Cancer; Stage IV Ovarian Germ Cell Tumor; Stage IV Pancreatic Cancer

  10. The Role of nAChR and Calcium Signaling in Pancreatic Cancer Initiation and Progression

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Schaal, Courtney [Department of Tumor Biology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL 33612 (United States); Padmanabhan, Jaya [Department of Molecular Medicine and USF Health Byrd Alzheimer’s Institute, University of South Florida, 4001 E. Fletcher Ave., Tampa, FL 33612 (United States); Chellappan, Srikumar, E-mail: Srikumar.Chellappan@moffitt.org [Department of Tumor Biology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL 33612 (United States)

    2015-07-31

    Pancreatic cancer shows a strong correlation with smoking and the current therapeutic strategies have been relatively ineffective in improving the survival of patients. Efforts have been made over the past many years to understand the molecular events that drive the initiation and progression of pancreatic cancer, especially in the context of smoking. It has become clear that components of tobacco smoke not only initiate these cancers, especially pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs) through their mutagenic properties, but can also promote the growth and metastasis of these tumors by stimulating cell proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Studies in cell culture systems, animal models and human samples have shown that nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) activation enhances these tumor-promoting events by channeling signaling through multiple pathways. In this context, signaling through calcium channels appear to facilitate pancreatic cancer growth by itself or downstream of nAChRs. This review article highlights the role of nAChR downstream signaling events and calcium signaling in the growth, metastasis as well as drug resistance of pancreatic cancer.

  11. The Role of nAChR and Calcium Signaling in Pancreatic Cancer Initiation and Progression

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Schaal, Courtney; Padmanabhan, Jaya; Chellappan, Srikumar

    2015-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer shows a strong correlation with smoking and the current therapeutic strategies have been relatively ineffective in improving the survival of patients. Efforts have been made over the past many years to understand the molecular events that drive the initiation and progression of pancreatic cancer, especially in the context of smoking. It has become clear that components of tobacco smoke not only initiate these cancers, especially pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs) through their mutagenic properties, but can also promote the growth and metastasis of these tumors by stimulating cell proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Studies in cell culture systems, animal models and human samples have shown that nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) activation enhances these tumor-promoting events by channeling signaling through multiple pathways. In this context, signaling through calcium channels appear to facilitate pancreatic cancer growth by itself or downstream of nAChRs. This review article highlights the role of nAChR downstream signaling events and calcium signaling in the growth, metastasis as well as drug resistance of pancreatic cancer

  12. Transferrin receptor regulates pancreatic cancer growth by modulating mitochondrial respiration and ROS generation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jeong, Seung Min, E-mail: smjeong@catholic.ac.kr [Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 137-701 (Korea, Republic of); Institute for Aging and Metabolic Diseases, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul 137-701 (Korea, Republic of); Hwang, Sunsook; Seong, Rho Hyun [School of Biological Sciences and Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742 (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-03-11

    The transferrin receptor (TfR1) is upregulated in malignant cells and its expression is associated with cancer progression. Because of its pre-eminent role in cell proliferation, TfR1 has been an important target for the development of cancer therapy. Although TfR1 is highly expressed in pancreatic cancers, what it carries out in these refractory cancers remains poorly understood. Here we report that TfR1 supports mitochondrial respiration and ROS production in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells, which is required for their tumorigenic growth. Elevated TfR1 expression in PDAC cells contributes to oxidative phosphorylation, which allows for the generation of ROS. Importantly, mitochondrial-derived ROS are essential for PDAC growth. However, exogenous iron supplement cannot rescue the defects caused by TfR1 knockdown. Moreover, we found that TfR1 expression determines PDAC cells sensitivity to oxidative stress. Together, our findings reveal that TfR1 can contribute to the mitochondrial respiration and ROS production, which have essential roles in growth and survival of pancreatic cancer. - Highlights: • Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) exhibits an elevated transferrin receptor (TfR1) expression in comparison with non-transformed pancreatic cells. • TfR1 is required for PDAC growth by regulating mitochondrial respiration and ROS production. • TfR1 functions as a determinant of cell viability to oxidative stress in PDAC cells.

  13. Transferrin receptor regulates pancreatic cancer growth by modulating mitochondrial respiration and ROS generation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeong, Seung Min; Hwang, Sunsook; Seong, Rho Hyun

    2016-01-01

    The transferrin receptor (TfR1) is upregulated in malignant cells and its expression is associated with cancer progression. Because of its pre-eminent role in cell proliferation, TfR1 has been an important target for the development of cancer therapy. Although TfR1 is highly expressed in pancreatic cancers, what it carries out in these refractory cancers remains poorly understood. Here we report that TfR1 supports mitochondrial respiration and ROS production in human pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells, which is required for their tumorigenic growth. Elevated TfR1 expression in PDAC cells contributes to oxidative phosphorylation, which allows for the generation of ROS. Importantly, mitochondrial-derived ROS are essential for PDAC growth. However, exogenous iron supplement cannot rescue the defects caused by TfR1 knockdown. Moreover, we found that TfR1 expression determines PDAC cells sensitivity to oxidative stress. Together, our findings reveal that TfR1 can contribute to the mitochondrial respiration and ROS production, which have essential roles in growth and survival of pancreatic cancer. - Highlights: • Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) exhibits an elevated transferrin receptor (TfR1) expression in comparison with non-transformed pancreatic cells. • TfR1 is required for PDAC growth by regulating mitochondrial respiration and ROS production. • TfR1 functions as a determinant of cell viability to oxidative stress in PDAC cells.

  14. MicroRNA-1291 targets the FOXA2-AGR2 pathway to suppress pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and tumorigenesis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qiu, Jing-Xin; Kim, Edward J.; Yu, Ai-Ming

    2016-01-01

    Pancreatic cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Better understanding of pancreatic cancer biology may help identify new oncotargets towards more effective therapies. This study investigated the mechanistic actions of microRNA-1291 (miR-1291) in the suppression of pancreatic tumorigenesis. Our data showed that miR-1291 was downregulated in a set of clinical pancreatic carcinoma specimens and human pancreatic cancer cell lines. Restoration of miR-1291 expression inhibited pancreatic cancer cell proliferation, which was associated with cell cycle arrest and enhanced apoptosis. Furthermore, miR-1291 sharply suppressed the tumorigenicity of PANC-1 cells in mouse models. A proteomic profiling study revealed 32 proteins altered over 2-fold in miR-1291-expressing PANC-1 cells that could be assembled into multiple critical pathways for cancer. Among them anterior gradient 2 (AGR2) was reduced to the greatest degree. Through computational and experimental studies we further identified that forkhead box protein A2 (FOXA2), a transcription factor governing AGR2 expression, was a direct target of miR-1291. These results connect miR-1291 to the FOXA2-AGR2 regulatory pathway in the suppression of pancreatic cancer cell proliferation and tumorigenesis, providing new insight into the development of miRNA-based therapy to combat pancreatic cancer. PMID:27322206

  15. Phase 1 Pharmacogenetic and Pharmacodynamic Study of Sorafenib With Concurrent Radiation Therapy and Gemcitabine in Locally Advanced Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Chiorean, E. Gabriela, E-mail: gchiorea@uw.edu [Department of Medicine, Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, Indiana (United States); Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington (United States); Schneider, Bryan P. [Department of Medicine, Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, Indiana (United States); Akisik, Fatih M. [Department of Radiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana (United States); Perkins, Susan M. [Department of Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana (United States); Anderson, Stephen [Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana (United States); Johnson, Cynthia S. [Department of Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana (United States); DeWitt, John [Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana (United States); Helft, Paul; Clark, Romnee; Johnston, Erica L.; Spittler, A. John [Department of Medicine, Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, Indiana (United States); Deluca, Jill [Department of Radiation Oncology, Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, Indiana (United States); Bu, Guixue [Department of Radiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana (United States); Shahda, Safi; Loehrer, Patrick J. [Department of Medicine, Indiana University Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center, Indianapolis, Indiana (United States); Sandrasegaran, Kumar [Department of Radiology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana (United States); Cardenes, Higinia R. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana (United States)

    2014-06-01

    Purpose: To define the safety, efficacy, and pharmacogenetic and pharmacodynamic effects of sorafenib with gemcitabine-based chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Methods and Materials: Patients received gemcitabine 1000 mg/m{sup 2} intravenously weekly × 3 every 4 weeks per cycle for 1 cycle before CRT and continued for up to 4 cycles after CRT. Weekly gemcitabine 600 mg/m{sup 2} intravenously was given during concurrent intensity modulated radiation therapy of 50 Gy to gross tumor volume in 25 fractions. Sorafenib was dosed orally 400 mg twice daily until progression, except during CRT when it was escalated from 200 mg to 400 mg daily, and 400 mg twice daily. The maximum tolerated dose cohort was expanded to 15 patients. Correlative studies included dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI and angiogenesis genes polymorphisms (VEGF-A and VEGF-R2 single nucleotide polymorphisms). Results: Twenty-seven patients were enrolled. No dose-limiting toxicity occurred during induction gemcitabine/sorafenib followed by concurrent CRT. The most common grade 3/4 toxicities were fatigue, hematologic, and gastrointestinal. The maximum tolerated dose was sorafenib 400 mg twice daily. The median progression-free survival and overall survival for 25 evaluable patients were 10.6 and 12.6 months, respectively. The median overall survival for patients with VEGF-A -2578 AA, -1498 CC, and -1154 AA versus alternate genotypes was 21.6 versus 14.7 months. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI demonstrated higher baseline K{sup trans} in responding patients. Conclusions: Concurrent sorafenib with CRT had modest clinical activity with increased gastrointestinal toxicity in localized unresectable pancreatic cancer. Select VEGF-A/VEGF-R2 genotypes were associated with favorable survival.

  16. Phase 1 Pharmacogenetic and Pharmacodynamic Study of Sorafenib With Concurrent Radiation Therapy and Gemcitabine in Locally Advanced Unresectable Pancreatic Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chiorean, E. Gabriela; Schneider, Bryan P.; Akisik, Fatih M.; Perkins, Susan M.; Anderson, Stephen; Johnson, Cynthia S.; DeWitt, John; Helft, Paul; Clark, Romnee; Johnston, Erica L.; Spittler, A. John; Deluca, Jill; Bu, Guixue; Shahda, Safi; Loehrer, Patrick J.; Sandrasegaran, Kumar; Cardenes, Higinia R.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: To define the safety, efficacy, and pharmacogenetic and pharmacodynamic effects of sorafenib with gemcitabine-based chemoradiotherapy (CRT) in locally advanced pancreatic cancer. Methods and Materials: Patients received gemcitabine 1000 mg/m 2 intravenously weekly × 3 every 4 weeks per cycle for 1 cycle before CRT and continued for up to 4 cycles after CRT. Weekly gemcitabine 600 mg/m 2 intravenously was given during concurrent intensity modulated radiation therapy of 50 Gy to gross tumor volume in 25 fractions. Sorafenib was dosed orally 400 mg twice daily until progression, except during CRT when it was escalated from 200 mg to 400 mg daily, and 400 mg twice daily. The maximum tolerated dose cohort was expanded to 15 patients. Correlative studies included dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI and angiogenesis genes polymorphisms (VEGF-A and VEGF-R2 single nucleotide polymorphisms). Results: Twenty-seven patients were enrolled. No dose-limiting toxicity occurred during induction gemcitabine/sorafenib followed by concurrent CRT. The most common grade 3/4 toxicities were fatigue, hematologic, and gastrointestinal. The maximum tolerated dose was sorafenib 400 mg twice daily. The median progression-free survival and overall survival for 25 evaluable patients were 10.6 and 12.6 months, respectively. The median overall survival for patients with VEGF-A -2578 AA, -1498 CC, and -1154 AA versus alternate genotypes was 21.6 versus 14.7 months. Dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI demonstrated higher baseline K trans in responding patients. Conclusions: Concurrent sorafenib with CRT had modest clinical activity with increased gastrointestinal toxicity in localized unresectable pancreatic cancer. Select VEGF-A/VEGF-R2 genotypes were associated with favorable survival

  17. Nutrition Following Pancreatic Surgery

    Science.gov (United States)

    ... BACK Contact Us DONATE NOW GENERAL DONATION PURPLESTRIDE Nutrition Following Pancreatic Surgery Home Facing Pancreatic Cancer Living with Pancreatic Cancer Diet and Nutrition Nutrition Following Pancreatic Surgery Ver esta página en ...

  18. Targeting ROCK activity to disrupt and prime pancreatic cancer for chemotherapy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vennin, Claire; Rath, Nicola; Pajic, Marina; Olson, Michael F; Timpson, Paul

    2017-10-03

    Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a devastating disease; the identification of novel targets and development of effective treatment strategies are urgently needed to improve patient outcomes. Remodeling of the pancreatic stroma occurs during PDAC development, which drives disease progression and impairs responses to therapy. The actomyosin regulatory ROCK1 and ROCK2 kinases govern cell motility and contractility, and have been suggested to be potential targets for cancer therapy, particularly to reduce the metastatic spread of tumor cells. However, ROCK inhibitors are not currently used for cancer patient treatment, largely due to the overwhelming challenge faced in the development of anti-metastatic drugs, and a lack of clarity as to the cancer types most likely to benefit from ROCK inhibitor therapy. In 2 recent publications, we discovered that ROCK1 and ROCK2 expression were increased in PDAC, and that increased ROCK activity was associated with reduced survival and PDAC progression by enabling extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and invasive growth of pancreatic cancer cells. We also used intravital imaging to optimize ROCK inhibition using the pharmacological ROCK inhibitor fasudil (HA-1077), and demonstrated that short-term ROCK targeting, or 'priming', improved chemotherapy efficacy, disrupted cancer cell collective movement, and impaired metastasis. This body of work strongly indicates that the use of ROCK inhibitors in pancreatic cancer therapy as 'priming' agents warrants further consideration, and provides insights as to how transient mechanical manipulation, or fine-tuning the ECM, rather than chronic stromal ablation might be beneficial for improving chemotherapeutic efficacy in the treatment of this deadly disease.

  19. Up-regulation of integrin β3 in radioresistant pancreatic cancer impairs adenovirus-mediated gene therapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Egami, Takuya; Ohuchida, Kenoki; Yasui, Takaharu; Onimaru, Manabu; Toma, Hiroki; Sato, Norihiro; Tanaka, Masao; Mizumoto, Kazuhiro; Matsumoto, Kunio

    2009-01-01

    Adenovirus-mediated gene therapy is a promising approach for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. We previously reported that radiation enhanced adenovirus-mediated gene expression in pancreatic cancer, suggesting that adenoviral gene therapy might be more effective in radioresistant pancreatic cancer cells. In the present study, we compared the transduction efficiency of adenovirus-delivered genes in radiosensitive and radioresistant cells, and investigated the underlying mechanisms. We used an adenovirus expressing the hepatocyte growth factor antagonist, NK4 (Ad-NK4), as a representative gene therapy. We established two radioresistant human pancreatic cancer cell lines using fractionated irradiation. Radiosensitive and radioresistant pancreatic cancer cells were infected with Ad-NK4, and NK4 levels in the cells were measured. In order to investigate the mechanisms responsible for the differences in the transduction efficiency between these cells, we measured expression of the genes mediating adenovirus infection and endocytosis. The results revealed that NK4 levels in radioresistant cells were significantly lower (P<0.01) than those in radiosensitive cells, although there were no significant differences in adenovirus uptake between radiosensitive cells and radioresistant cells. Integrin β3 was up-regulated and the Coxsackie virus and adenovirus receptor was down-regulated in radioresistant cells, and inhibition of integrin β3 promoted adenovirus gene transfer. These results suggest that inhibition of integrin β3 in radioresistant pancreatic cancer cells could enhance adenovirus-mediated gene therapy. (author)

  20. HIF1 Contributes to Hypoxia-Induced Pancreatic Cancer Cells Invasion via Promoting QSOX1 Expression

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chen-Ye Shi

    2013-08-01

    Full Text Available Background: Quiescin sulfhydryl oxidase 1 (QSOX1, which oxidizes sulfhydryl groups to form disulfide bonds in proteins, is found to be over-expressed in various pancreatic cancer cell lines and patients. QSOX1 promotes invasion of pancreatic cancer cells by activating MMP-2 and MMP-9. However, its regulatory mechanism remains largely undefined. Methods: Real-time PCR and Western blot were employed to detect the expression of QSOX1 in human pancreatic cancer cell lines under hypoxic condition. Luciferase reporter and ChIP assays were used to assess the regulation of QSOX1 by hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1. Small interfering RNA (siRNA was applied to knock down endogenous expression of QSOX1. Matrigel-coated invasion chamber essays were conducted to detect the invasion capacity of QSOX1-depleted cells. Results: Both hypoxia and hypoxia mimicking reagent up-regulated the expression of QSOX1 in human pancreatic cancer cell lines. Knockdown of HIF-1α eliminated hypoxia induced QSOX1 expression. HIF-1α was found directly bound to two hypoxia-response elements (HRE of QSOX1 gene, both of which were required for HIF-1 induced QSOX1 expression. Moreover, QSOX1 silencing blocked hypoxia-induced pancreatic cancer cells invasion. Conclusion: QSOX1 is a direct target of HIF-1 and may contribute to hypoxia-induced pancreatic cancer cells invasion.